How what you watch on Netflix affects your sex life

At this point, even typing the words “Netflix” and “chill” ought to drive you into a shame spiral. It has been co-opted: the phrase has become one of the most suspect memes on the internet, so perfectly encapsulating a generation’s louche attitude towards booty calling that you feel as if it was dreamed up by a crack team of advertising executives somewhere. Frankly, it’s unclear if anyone our age even used the phrase in the first place. If anyone still is, you certainly don’t want to Netflix and chill with them.

However, Netflix – thrilling in its perceived relevance to our sexual and emotional wellbeing – has conducted a study that illuminates the service’s impact on romantic relationship. In other words they’ve actually got some data to back up the concept of “Netflix and chill.”

The streaming service has found it plays a role in every stage of the relationship process (of course it has): from finding someone, to making them fall for you, to settling down and getting married. Apparently, there is more to “Netflix and Chill” than sitting down and putting anything on. What you choose is important. Jessica Jones is a good shout, while Hemlock Grove us not going to help you get laid.

A strong Netflix game can significantly improve your dating odds, a bit like being really, really ridiculously good looking, or have a second home in Provence. 25 per cent of those polled said that they found someone more attractive based on the shows they watched. Men, in particular, are susceptible to donning show goggles: 34 per cent of males, compared to 19 per cent of females, said they were likely to fall for someone based on their show preferences.

And sharing a Netflix account has become the modern equivalent of moving in together. More than half say that they wouldn’t share an account until they were dating exclusively. And 17 per cent said they would have to be engaged or married before merging their IDs.

Netflix isn’t exactly a great way to spice up your relationship though. Instead of going out for a romantic dinner for “date night” (a term that should probably go the way of ‘”Netflix and chill”), 72 per cent said they’d rather stay home and watch Netflix. 58 per cent of couples considered streaming time “bonding” time. Gross.