In May 2015, more than half a million Brits tuned into BBC Four looking to escape their hectic everyday lives with an hour of birdsong or a canal journey. The BBC Four Goes Slow series showcased ‘slow TV’, featuring uninterrupted shows filmed in real-time. But why are people tuning in to slow down?

Described as a “small revolution” by French viewers, Tokyo Reverse is a nine-hour movie of a man walking backwards through the streets of Tokyo. Fans say it gives viewers a chance to get deeply interested in details that are usually missed in a world all about speed.

Video games that see players fight on the frontlines of WWII or ride atop a dragon have fuelled the industry’s huge success. But worlds apart is a genre that’s all about taking the time to appreciate doing nothing. What’s the appeal of slow gaming? And how can it support one’s mental wellbeing?

On exclusive dating app The League, people’s first profile pictures will be displayed in black and white, whether they like it or not. In the face of dating app fatigue, The League is neutralising profile pictures to force people to slow down a bit, rather than getting swept up in swipe culture.