SOCIAL media before bed might be as bad for your mood as boozing or smoking weed, say scientists.
A study by Bristol University found people who posted on X, aka Twitter, after 11pm had “meaningfully worse” mental health.
Using social media at night might disrupt sleep and affect the brain (stock image)[/caption]
The researchers reckon staying up late on your phone means you sleep less and have poorer quality shut-eye, which is known to impact the brain.
They estimated posting at night accounted for two per cent of the variation in someone’s mental wellbeing.
The effect was equal to what previous studies have pinned on binge drinking or using cannabis.
Polling by YouGov shows nine in 10 Brits look at their phones within an hour of going to bed.
Supports case for curfews or wind-down features
Study author Daniel Joinson said: “Our paper highlights the potential harm of night-time content posting.
“Research like ours could help inform interventions or legislation that aim to deter harmful social media use.”
The study used data from 310 UK adults to compare the mental health of people who tweeted late – between 11pm and 5am – with people who posted in the daytime.
It found the night owls scored an average of four to eight points lower out of 70.
Writing in the journal Scientific Reports, he said the results support calls for curfews or “wind-down” feature in apps to help people stop scrolling at night.
Help for mental health
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support.
The following are free to contact and confidential:
- Samaritans, www.samaritans.org, 116 123
- CALM (the leading movement against suicide in men) www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858
- Papyrus (prevention of young suicide) www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41
- Shout (for support of all mental health) www.giveusashout.org/get-help/, text 85258 to start a conversation
Mind, www.mind.org, provide information about types of mental health problems and where to get help for them. Call the infoline on 0300 123 3393 (UK landline calls are charged at local rates, and charges from mobile phones will vary).
YoungMinds run a free, confidential parents helpline on 0808 802 5544 for parents or carers worried about how a child or young person is feeling or behaving. The website has a chat option too.
Rethink Mental Illness, www.rethink.org, gives advice and information service offers practical advice on a wide range of topics such as The Mental Health Act, social care, welfare benefits, and carers rights. Use its website or call 0300 5000 927 (calls are charged at your local rate).
Heads Together, www.headstogether.org.uk, is the a mental health initiative spearheaded by The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales.
