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Blink Gyms Turn Off News Stations to Decrease Stress During Workouts

By Katie Honan | April 3, 2017 4:08pm
 A TV screen showing the news at a Woodside Blink Fitness. During April, the gym will shut the news off every Monday to decrease gym-goers stress.
A TV screen showing the news at a Woodside Blink Fitness. During April, the gym will shut the news off every Monday to decrease gym-goers stress.
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DNAinfo/Katie Honan

Is a wall of TV screens blaring the latest anxiety-inducing headlines keeping you away from the gym? If so, you may need to find a different excuse this month. 

As part of its "Tune Out While You Work Out" initiative, Blink Fitness will switch their TVs to "uplifting" programs every Monday this month to honor National Stress Awareness Month. The change will happen at all of their more than 50 gyms across New York and New Jersey. 

The goal is to get gym-goers to focus on themselves instead of stressing about the news while on the elliptical or lifting weights. It was prompted by a recent American Psychological Association survey that showed 80 percent of Americans have reported at least one health symptom due to stress.

People will also be encouraged to stay off of social media during workouts, Blink said in a statement.

"We always want Blink to be a place our members turn to when they need a mood boost," said Ellen Roggemann, vice president of marketing at Blink Fitness.