Following the release of Netflix's The Watcher, there has been a significant uptick in internet searches for insomnia treatments and cures.
Per research conducted by Happy Beds and sleep psychologist, Dr. Katherine Hall, at Somnus Therapy, The Watcher has had such an effect on viewers, many of whom report difficulty sleeping and sleep anxiety, that internet searches for insomnia cures have surged by a whopping 567% since the show's release on Netflix. "Nightmares are predominantly caused by stress and horror films are designed specifically to heighten emotions," Hall said regarding the effect of scary movies on people's sleeping patterns. "They use psychological tricks to create illusions of suspense and danger which cause stress and anxiety. We then bring this stress to bed with us making our brains unable to relax and switch off."
She continued, "Those dealing with anxiety and trauma may feel that these fears are intensified, but that is just the body’s flight or fight response being triggered. Try leaning into those feelings, as feel-good hormones such as dopamine and serotonin are also released as a response which can boost your mood after the nerves have settled." According to Hall, the best ways to deal with sleep anxiety caused by scary movies include watching something light-hearted to decompress after watching a scary movie, talking through the film with friends afterward, avoiding stimulants such as caffeine or sugar, and creating a bedtime routine.
The Watcher Keeps Audiences Up at Night
Created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, The Watcher heavily dramatizes the true story of the Broaddus family who is harassed by a stalker known as The Watcher shortly after moving into their dream home, 657 Boulevard in New Jersey. The star-studded cast includes Naomi Watts, Bobby Cavendale, Mia Farrow and Emmy-award winner Jennifer Coolidge, among others.
The true-crime thriller recently overtook Murphy's other true-crime series, Dahmer, as Netflix's most-watched show on the streaming service. Dahmer racked up over 701 million hours of viewing time since its debut in September, becoming Netflix's second-biggest English-language series of all time, coming in right behind Season 4 of Stranger Things.
Comprised of seven hour-long episodes, The Watcher is based on an article by Reeves Wiedeman titled, "The Haunting of a Dream House," based on a screenplay by Brennan. The series was directed by Paris Barclay, Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman.
The Watcher is now available to stream in full on Netflix.
Source: Happy Beds