How Does Social Media Affect Sleep?
The rise of social media reads like a work of fiction. In 2012, it was something that only 5 percent of adults participated in. Fast forward to today, and that number is at least 73 percent. For certain age groups (such as adults), it’s over 90 percent. It’s not just raw numbers. Take a second to ponder the sheer amount of time now allocated to Facebook, TikTok, X, Instagram, and more.
In 2012, it was 90 minutes a day. Today, it’s inching closer to three hours a day. Once again, if you narrow it down to specific demographics, the numbers are even more staggering. If about 12 percent of our day is spent on social media, how can it not affect our sleep?
How Does Social Media Affect Sleep?
Tangled Up in Blue Light
The blue light emitted from the screens that have so much of our attention runs counter to our natural needs. Exposure to this kind of light keeps us aroused and engaged. That’s wonderful for advertisers and data collectors but unhealthy when it comes to maintaining productive sleep habits.
This becomes painfully obvious as we move into the evening. Our bodies produce a hormone called melatonin to ease us into sleep. But the natural cycle is interrupted when we’re online all day and into the night. Blue light signals us to suppress melatonin, and we’re soon unable to organically fall asleep and stay asleep.
FOMO
Artificial intelligence algorithms are designed to keep us engaged and feeling strong emotions while engaged. In turn, we begin to feel an ever-increasing pull to maximize our social media time. If we don’t, we believe we’ll be the ones who don’t know the latest.
But also, where else will we get that feeling of being right and being part of a group of people who agree with us? The allure becomes irresistible, and soon, there are not enough hours in the day to stay engaged and stay well-rested. Guess which one comes in second place.
Interrupted Sleep
The internet never turns off. Social media is the most popular hub for this reality. Thus, the notification sounds, hums, and vibrations just keep coming. We’re in a state of high alert, which makes it quite challenging to relax enough to have a consistent sleep pattern. How many people do you know who never silence their phones? Is that you? If so, the steady supply of distractions practically guarantees sleep deprivation.
Can We Use Social Media and Still Sleep Well?
The short answer is yes. However, it begins with a commitment to creating sleep-friendly patterns. For example:
Create Device-Free Zones: Your bedroom should be an environment in which sleep comes easily. This means considering factors such as temperature, noise levels, the amount of light allowed, and, yes, not keeping your devices within easy reach. Make it harder to get distracted. Wherever you keep your devices, either turn them off or silence them.
Set Up A Schedule: Choose a bedtime. Then, choose a time at which you power down your phones, computers, etc. Ideally, there should be 30 minutes between these two predetermined times.
Take Tech Breaks During the Day: As a method of getting comfortable with “missing out,” step away from your devices during the day, too. Set aside a couple of times a day to turn off your phone and do something fun, face-to-face, active, and joyful.
Social media addiction is not officially a formal diagnosis, but all mental health practitioners are cautious about this reality. Interrupting your sleep is a serious problem, but other dangerous outcomes are also possible. In other words, if you find yourself unable to get enough sleep due to social media, the problem may run deeper than a single issue. Reach out to learn more about anxiety therapy.
