Excessive screen use is found to interfere with our body’s natural circadian rhythm, causing sleep and mental health issues. Also, spending too much time on social media may lead to reduced self-esteem and problems with body image. A digital detox can help combat all these issues and increase self-esteem, sleep quality, and body image. It may also help lower stress and anxiety, ultimately providing relief.
Is excessive social media use linked to anxiety?
Excessive use of social media is linked with anxiety in numerous studies. Screen addiction and social media addiction are very detrimental to our mental and physical health. Dr Madhu Vamsi, MBBS, MD (Psychiatry), Consultant Psychiatrist, Hyderabad, Telangana explains that prolonged screen time can have serious effects on mental health, including:
Increased stress and anxiety
The overflow of information and constant updates on social media can, in the long run, stress the brain. This may make the stress level higher. It also creates anxiety due to being influenced by online negativity or the pressure to constantly be connected. Such a high-stimulation digital environment makes it very hard to relax and maintain the readiness of the brain to respond.
Decreased attention span and focus
Increased time spent in front of screens, particularly in multitasking among apps or content, shapes the brain to seek quick rewards. This makes it challenging to remain on the same thing for long. The constant change of tasks associated with this process prevents concentration, followed by difficulty concentrating during real-life activities or complex information intake.
Poor sleep quality and duration
Screens emit blue light that interferes with the body’s natural circadian rhythm. Melatonin, the hormone that facilitates falling asleep, may be hampered. While it’s bad enough to keep watching till late hours, the delay in falling asleep and poor quality of sleep also increases the likelihood of tiredness and a broken sleep cycle.
Decreased self-esteem and body image
Another expert Dr Harshil Shah, Psychiatrist, B.J. Medical College and Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad, Gujarat focuses on the fact that social media tends to portray unrealistic standards of beauty and success, which creates inabilities in managing self-confidence. Constant comparisons between the edited images or curated content posted by others lower one’s self-esteem or issues like body dysmorphia, especially in women. This increases self-criticism or dissatisfaction with an overall appearance or lifestyle.
Increased risk of depression and loneliness
Dr Shah adds, “The greater the time spent on a screen, particularly on social media platforms, the greater the likelihood of feeling lonely and becoming depressed. Long periods on the screen can create an illusion of rapport but tend to lead towards isolation. Passive intake of material and fewer face-to-face communications can give way to loneliness and disconnection from real-world social support systems and eventually become depression.”
People also tend to go out less, spending the majority of their time on their digital devices. This may lead to vitamin D deficiency and mental health issues such as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), further affecting productivity.
How does smartphone addiction affect your sleep?
Smartphones emit blue light, which suppresses the production of melatonin, the hormone that controls sleep. The disruption of the normal propensity of the body to fall asleep while destroying the depth of the sleep cycle makes it hard to fall asleep.
Checking your smartphones just before bed- browsing through social media, playing video games, or watching videos-will activate activity in your brain. The more active and awake the brain, the less likely it’s going to settle into a state of relaxing sleep.
Frequent notifications, vibrations and alerts can disrupt sleep. These can lead to frequent awakenings leading to poor sleep quality and the inability of the brain to enter deep restorative sleep phases.
Most people, who sleep in their beds with their phones, experience a bedtime delay. Since they spend much time on it before sleeping and this reduces total sleep time, eventually, it leads to sleep deprivation, which can negatively impact cognitive functions, mood, and general health.
Can limiting screen time reduce stress levels?
Dr Vamsi also says, “Be mindful of your screen time and take breaks.” He says that taking a break from screens can be incredibly beneficial for mental health. A digital detox can reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep quality and duration, increase productivity and focus, enhance self-esteem and body image, and foster deeper connections with the community. Take a break from screens at regular intervals to rejuvenate your mental health.”
A digital detox can reduce stress, anxiety, and sleep disturbances substantially. It promotes a greater sense of self-esteem, attention, and body image and strengthens real-world relations. Regular breaks from a digital device and going close to nature are good for maintaining mental health.
Disclaimer: Medical Science is an ever evolving field. We strive to keep this page updated. In case you notice any discrepancy in the content, please inform us at [email protected]. You can futher read our Correction Policy here. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment because of something you have read on or accessed through this website or it's social media channels. Read our Full Disclaimer Here for further information.
