There are worse things you could do than watch six episodes of something you’ve already seen. Still, binge-watching gets a bad rap. It’s been called avoidance, escapism, and a waste of time. But new research suggests your late-night Netflix spiral might actually be doing something worthwhile.

A study published in Acta Psychologica found that when people watch or read stories in long, uninterrupted stretches, they’re more likely to think about them later, not in a casual way, such as recalling a plot point, but in a more profound and reflective sense. The researchers call it retrospective imaginative involvement, which essentially means your brain keeps turning the story over, long after you’ve closed your laptop.

You might daydream about how the ending could have been different, replay t

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