5 Shocking Ways Social Media Is Changing Your Brain (Mentally + Physically)

The connection between social media and your brain

It’s important to remember that while our rate of social media usage is up, it is something that is relatively new in the context of human society. However, early studies have shown that social media is impacting our wellbeing in more ways than one.

1. It shortens your attention span

While the research surrounding social media and its impact on attention span is in its early stages, studies are showing just how much social media alters our brains in this area, especially among the younger generation. For example, one study that looked at the social media behaviors of over 3,000 15-16 year olds during the course of two years, found that ADHD symptoms were directly proportional (1) to the amount of hours spent on social media.

Another study (2) found that social media negatively affected academic performance by shortening students' ability to pay attention. But for the students with the longest attention spans? Well, their time spent on social media was a lot lower. Therefore, as it currently stands these early studies are confirming what many people, especially parents, have suspected for a while - social media is not doing our children any favors.

2. It heightens your stress response

The constant influx of information, news reports, negative comments, and comparisons on social media can heighten your stress levels. This constant scrolling can lead to chronic stress and problems with cortisol imbalance that has been linked to a variety of health problems including metabolic disorders like weight loss resistance and diabetes. 

3. It alters your natural circadian rhythms

Excessive screen time, especially before bedtime, can disrupt sleep patterns and harm your body’s natural circadian rhythm. Blue light from screens suppress the production of your sleepy-time hormone melatonin, making it even more difficult for you to fall asleep at night and can contribute to a variety of cascading health problems, including higher rates of depression. 

A recent study (3) found that sleep deprivation was the highest amongst individuals who slept with their phones in the same room with rates of depression also directly correlated with how much time was spent on social media. Inversely, sleep quality and symptoms of depression improved when social media use decreased. 

4. It promotes poor mental health

We’re all familiar with the social media highlight reel. It's far too easy to put out a picture perfect version of your life, leading to feelings of inadequacy, comparison, and negative body image. Multiple studies have found an increase in eating disorders (4) and poor body image (5) correlated with social media use that can lead to mental health problems like depression and anxiety. Plus, social media can contribute to the fear of missing out (FOMO), which intensifies stress levels and feelings of inadequacy.

5. It is addictive

Social media platforms are cleverly designed to trigger a release of dopamine - the neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward in our brains. Every like, comment, or share provides a small hit of dopamine, leading to a cycle of gratification. This constant stimulation can result in social media addiction, with users craving validation and engagement. 

This phenomenon of social media addiction is so real that there is a whole area of research dedicated to looking at this phenomenon with The World Health Organization looking to classify (6) “smartphone-use disorder” as a behavioral addiction. One study in particular found that individuals with a social networking site addiction had gray-matter alterations (7) in the area of their brain involved in addictive behavior - similar to that of drug addiction!

What you can do

The reality is, social media isn’t going away anytime soon. If anything, it is only going to become more prevalent in our society. However, there are things you can do that will help facilitate a healthier relationship with technology and social media.

1. Set time limits

Setting clear boundaries is the first step in regaining control over your social media use. Start by setting aside time dedicated to guilt-free scrolling and put time limits on how long you spend on each social app. You can monitor this yourself or use one of the many apps available that track your time and lock you out once your time is up.

2. Turn off notifications

You’re going to be tempted to check social media if you are constantly getting notified of each new like, comment, or post. Turning off notifications is another key step you can take to limit your social media use as it can help reduce the constant urge to check your accounts.

3. Curate your feed

When scrolling social media, be mindful of the content you engage with and its impact on your mood. If your feed is breeding negative thoughts about yourself and your life, avoid the comparison trap and unfollow or mute those accounts. The same goes for any account that makes you feel anxious or stressed (sometimes that includes family members’ accounts as well!). Instead, only choose to follow accounts that inspire you and promote positivity.

4. Practice mindfulness

The truth is, you can’t avoid all comparison or negativity no matter how hard you try. If stress starts to creep in, set the phone down and practice some mindful meditation or deep breathing exercises to lower your body’s stress response and experience the many other health benefits of meditation. Another way to integrate mindfulness into social media use is by actually engaging with content (as a positive contributor - not a keyboard warrior!) rather than mindlessly scrolling.

5. Cultivate a vibrant life outside of social media

If you don’t have a lot to look forward to in your everyday life, it can be all too easy to spend hours scrolling and living through others highlight reels' on social media. Start a new hobby, join a group sports and set up friendship dates and other things that you enjoy unrelated to social media. When you’re enjoying your life in real time, you’ll feel less of a need to pick up your phone.

6. Do a digital detox

This is more of a challenge, but doing a full digital detox can help you evaluate where exactly your relationship stands with social media. Keep a journal and take note of each time you want to reach for your phone to scroll. This will help you notice patterns and set up healthy boundaries.

7. Keep your distance 

One of the biggest things that helped improve my own social media use was turning off my phone an hour before bed and charging it in a room other than my bedroom. Not only did this eliminate the temptation to check my phone first thing in the morning, it helped preserve my circadian rhythm before bedtime so my body could start winding down for sleep.

8. Talk with a professional

If you find that social media is significantly impacting your mental health, and struggle to find solutions that work for you, consider seeking support from a professional counselor. They can help you find tools that do work for you and can help address deeper problems like addiction, anxiety, depression or other mental health problems related to social media use.

The takeaway

Ultimately, the impact of social media on our brains is complex and something we are continually learning about as technology becomes a deeper part of our society. By understanding the pitfalls of social media we can set up the appropriate boundaries so that we can still enjoy the many benefits and connection opportunities that go along with social media.

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