Our lives now revolve entirely around social media. We automatically open Facebook or Instagram on our smartphones every few hours to check on what’s happening in our social networks or even the rest of the globe. If we don’t stay up to speed on the most recent developments, the FOMO (fear of missing out) is real and it practically causes us to have little panic attacks. But in terms of social media, how much is too much?
Dopamine is released when you spend brief amounts of time scrolling through social media feeds, which might make you happy and upbeat. Unfortunately, we frequently stray from the advised duration and end up ‘doomscrolling’ (excessive consumption of negative news). Your emotional and physical health may be negatively affected by this, which may be quite draining. So, where do we draw the line?
Mental health and social media
Social media use is not harmful, but if it continues, it might become dangerous. A JAMA Psychiatry study found that US students who used social media for more than three hours per day had a 60% greater risk of mental health problems than those who avoided these applications. Spending more than six hours a day significantly raised risk by 78%.
This emphasises the fact that anything lasting more than three hours should be avoided at all costs since it might undermine your self-assurance and generate uneasiness. Additionally, it may cause people to internalise their feelings of loneliness, worry, or even despair.This could be a result of cyberbullying or even sleep deprivation, caused by endless scrolling on these apps.
Effect on physical health
Social media has an adverse effect on both your physical and emotional wellbeing. According to study, those who spend a lot of time on social media are more likely to have diabetes, heart disease, and even gain weight. In an article headlined Social Media Use Tied To Poor Physical Health, a researcher from the University at Buffalo discovered that those who used social media excessively had higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a biological indicator of chronic inflammation. This implies that you are more prone to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and a few types of cancer.
Social media usage is advised’
For improved physical and mental health, it is advised to utilise social media for 30 minutes every day, according to the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. According to the study, it is best to split your time across three applications in order to retain engagement and avoid missing out. Anxiety, despair, and stress were all observed to be less prevalent in those who kept their equilibrium. Furthermore, nobody of them encountered FOMO. Overall, the less time you spend on social media, the less likely you are to experience mental health problems and low self-esteem.
Here’s how to cut back on social media.
Since there is a genuine risk of being addicted to social media, it is essential to take action now to limit consumption before it is too late. Here are some suggestions to aid in separating oneself from such programmes, or at the very least, to encourage positive social media behaviour.
# Turn off alerts
Sometimes, that tiny pop-up may truly draw you into the social media maze of never-ending scrolling. It is thus recommended to turn off your alerts so that you won’t be easily sidetracked.
# Limit your screen time
Several programmes are available to help you maintain tabs on your social media activity. In reality, timers embedded into programmes like Instagram prompt you to quit using them after a certain amount of time. Set a boundary and abide by it.
# Develop a new pastime
Try to engage in new hobbies to pass the time; they might be skating, reading, or even networking. Learning a new skill is always preferable to spending all of your time looking around social media.
# Try to catch up with loved ones offline.
We frequently become accustomed to interacting with our friends and family via social media applications. Take a break and catch them offline; you’ll love it a lot more than you would expect!
Last but not least
Social media is a boon, but if you don’t limit its use, it might become a curse. Keep a balance and just spend a short while scrolling through your feeds. We suggest you can wait on those wedding or trip updates!
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