You know that slightly sore, numb, or weirdly warm feeling you get after a long Netflix binge?
That’s not in your head—it’s a thing, and plenty of people are dealing with it. ‘Netflix bum’ isn’t an official medical condition (yet), but it sums up the very real physical side effects of sitting for hours, often in weird positions, totally absorbed in a show. If you’ve ever stood up after five episodes and felt like your backside might’ve fused to the sofa, you’re not alone. Here’s why ‘Netflix bum’ is more real—and more common—than you think.
1. You sit longer than you realise.
It’s easy to tell yourself you’re just watching “one more episode,” but when streaming platforms autoplay the next one in five seconds, time disappears. Before you know it, three hours have passed, and you haven’t moved once. Extended sitting like that can lead to numbness, poor circulation, and that stiff, pins-and-needles sensation when you finally get up. It’s not just laziness — it’s a low-key endurance sport for your glutes and lower back.
2. The bum wasn’t built for bingeing.
Our bodies were made to move, stretch, walk, and occasionally sprint away from danger, not to collapse into the same dented bit of sofa night after night. The muscles around your bum, hips, and thighs get tight and sore when they’re stuck in that folded-up shape for too long. Sitting that much, especially if you’re slouched or slumped, starts to compress nerves and tighten muscles. It’s the kind of discomfort that creeps up on you, even though you weren’t doing anything at all.
3. Weird sitting positions make it worse.
If you’re curling one leg under you, leaning off to the side, or lying on one hip for hours, your body remembers. These “comfy” positions actually put extra pressure on your joints and compress nerves in your pelvis and thighs. Eventually, it’s not just your bum that hurts—it’s your back, hips, and sometimes even your knees. Your body’s basically shouting, “This isn’t what we were designed for,” and Netflix bum is the first warning shot.
4. Bingeing causes circulation slowdowns.
Sitting for hours reduces blood flow, especially to your lower half. That leads to that heavy, dead-leg feeling when you finally try to stand up, and the weird tingling as blood rushes back in. It’s not just uncomfortable, it can also affect how well oxygen gets to your muscles, which adds to the sore, stiff feeling. Think of it like a traffic jam in your bloodstream caused by a Friends marathon.
5. Cushions and soft sofas trick you.
Plush couches feel amazing when you first sink in, but they’re terrible for your posture. All that softness means your spine’s got no real support, and your bum ends up taking the brunt of the weight for hours. This might feel harmless in the moment, but over time it leads to a squashed, uncomfortable feeling that lasts even after you get up. Basically, your bum’s had enough, but you keep telling it, “Just one more episode.”
6. It messes with your lower back.
Sitting for long stretches changes the way your spine aligns, especially if you’re hunched forward or curled up sideways. That puts pressure on your tailbone and lower back muscles, which can cause soreness that lingers. What starts as a dull ache in your bum can creep up your back and turn into chronic stiffness if it becomes a regular thing. Netflix bum doesn’t always stay in one place—it travels.
7. It’s more common than people admit.
Because no one wants to say “my bum hurts from binge-watching,” people tend to brush it off. But the truth is, loads of people deal with this, especially since streaming became everyone’s go-to downtime habit. We’re sitting more than ever before, and it’s showing up in places we didn’t expect, like that weird ache you can’t quite stretch out after a long Sunday of true crime docs.
8. Your body doesn’t recover instantly.
Source: Unsplash Standing up and stretching might feel like a fix, but if you’ve been sitting for hours, your muscles and joints need more time than that to bounce back. It’s not just about movement. It’s about reactivating muscles that have basically gone offline. The bum in particular is one of those areas that gets lazy fast when underused. Netflix bum doesn’t just resolve when you’re no longer sitting. It comes with after-effects that linger long after the remote’s been put away.
9. It can cause ‘dead butt syndrome.’
Yes, it’s a real thing. Also known as gluteal amnesia, this condition happens when your glute muscles become so underused and compressed that they stop firing properly, leading to pain, weakness, and posture issues. Sitting too much without moving around trains your body to stop relying on those muscles, which can cause knock-on effects through your hips, legs, and lower back. Netflix bum is basically step one on that slippery slope.
10. There’s an easy fix—if you remember to do it.
The good news? Netflix bum isn’t permanent. Getting up every 30–45 minutes, doing a few hip stretches, or even just standing during the credits can make a huge difference. Your body just needs a chance to reset. You don’t have to quit your shows or stop bingeing altogether—just give your bum a bit of love. Switch positions, take a walk, do a squat or two. Your backside will thank you the next day, and you can still enjoy your series guilt-free.
