Five Ways Social Media is Bad for Your Health

We all know that too much time spent on social media can be bad for our mental health, but did you know that it can also be bad for our physical health? From neck pain to poor sleep quality, there are a number of ways that social media can take a toll on our bodies. Keep reading to learn about five of them.

1. Neck pain. hunching over your phone or laptop to scroll through social media can lead to neck pain and stiffness. try to take breaks every 20 minutes or so to move your head and stretch your neck muscles.

2. Carpal tunnel syndrome. if you spend a lot of time typing on your phone or laptop, you may be at risk for carpal tunnel syndrome. this condition is caused by pressure on the median nerve in the wrist, and symptoms include numbness, tingling, and weakness in the hand and wrist. if you start to experience these symptoms, see a doctor as soon as possible. treatment options may include splinting, occupational therapy, and surgery.

3. Poor sleep quality. staring at screens late at night can disrupt your body's production of melatonin, the hormone that makes you feel sleepy. this can lead to poor sleep quality and quantity, which can in turn lead to fatigue, irritability, and difficulty concentrating during the day. try to avoid using social media for at least an hour before bedtime, and consider investing in a pair of blue light-blocking glasses to help reduce the effects of blue light exposure before bed.

4. Eye strain and vision problems. staring at screens for long periods of time can lead to eye strain, dry eyes, headaches, and even nearsightedness. if you find yourself experiencing any of these issues, take a break from screens and give your eyes a rest. try the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look at something 20 feet away from you.

5. Social media addiction/compulsion. finally, spending too much time on social media can lead to addiction or compulsion disorders. if you find that you cannot stay off social media or that it's impacting your daily life in negative ways (e.g., causing you anxiety or making you miss out on important events), it's time to get help from a professional. there are a number of resources available (including therapy and support groups) that can help you manage your social media use in a healthy way.

Overall, it is important to be aware of the ways that social media can impact our health negatively so we can make an effort to mitigate those effects as much as possible. Spend some time each day away from screens, move your body frequently throughout the day, invest in blue light-blocking glasses if you use screens late at night, take breaks often when using screens, and get help if you feel like you're addicted to or compulsively using social media . . . your mind AND body will thank you!