Spending Too Much Time on Social Media Could Stress You Out

About 4 in 10 U.S. adults today are almost constantly online with global screen time averaging over six hours per day A 7-month study of 1,490 German adults found that spending more time online — especially on mobile phones — was linked to increased stress Children ages 10 to 14 who use Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube had poor self-esteem, largely because they compared their own lives to those of others who looked happier or more successful online "Passively" scrolling through social media increased social anxiety in college students, especially women, while actively posting and interacting helped lower anxiety and supported healthier social confidence Simple steps like setting app limits, turning off alerts, creating screen-free days, and focusing on real-life connections can help you break the scroll cycle and protect your peace of mind