The fact that social networks are a time killer has been noticed by everyone who has access to a smartphone and mobile internet. But in addition, scrolling deprives us of normal sleep, increases the feeling of anxiety and reduces our self-confidence. Ekaterina Timakina, head of the psychological department of the Masha Foundation, describes in detail the impact of social networks on the human psyche.

Which of us hasn’t taken our phone before going to bed? When you are nervous, your hands automatically reach for the device. To watch funny videos, beautiful pictures of someone else’s life, listen to lectures and interviews. And then you recover, and an hour and a half has already passed, your eyes are burning and there are still many thoughts in your head that prevent you from relaxing. Why doesn’t scrolling help relieve stress, but only worsens our condition?

– There are many reasons. For example, notifications that cause the screen to glow blue: news, messages, pending tasks. All this creates tension, says Kateryna Timakina, head of the psychological department of the Masha Foundation. – The content we watch on social networks are the brightest moments from other people’s lives. They are already developing the FOMA syndrome in us – the fear of missing something important. And in an effort to relax, we dive deeper into the ocean of excitement.

Latest research shows that the more time we spend in front of the screens of our gadgets, especially in the evening, the worse our sleep quality and the higher the feeling of anxiety and depression. Also, problems with self-esteem due to constant consideration of the ideal picture of someone else’s life.

– Being online causes overstimulation, increased stress hormones in the body, desynchronization of the biological clock, changes in brain chemistry, and hinders mental energy and development.

What should I do?

If we now advise you to delete all social networks from your phone and use them only for work, this text will become as useless as possible. From where? Because no one will do it. That’s why we recommend that you at least put down your tools before going to bed. Moreover, among the evening rituals there are much more interesting things than wasting time on social networks:

– Reading paper books is in trend right now. So be in trend! Psychologist Kateryna Timakina advises, especially since you have definitely saved a few great literary selections on TikTok. – Do you practice a self-care ritual in the evening (long shower, face masks, self-massage, relaxing yoga or meditation)? Ideally, have a phone-free day at least once a week or two. Just try it and you will understand how much better the holiday can be without gadgets.