According to a recent survey, about 90% of Americans use social media today. Smartphones have skyrocketed in the past decade, and most people have considered their phones as their inseparable companions.

They use their smartphone for almost everything they do every day, especially spending hours and hours daily on social media.

Many studies have strongly indicated the adverse effects of social media use that are associated with anxiety, depression, and low esteem. Long hours of social media use can lead to low quality of sleep and harm mental health.

On the other hand, social media is a powerful tool for communication and has significantly changed how people today connect and interact with one another. It has made connections easier and faster across the globe. It has also provided an efficient means of information and news.

But again, positive and negative effects always come hand in hand and adverse effects only happen when there is no control and in presence of abuse.

How does social media affect mental health?
Social media is associated with anxiety, depression, and feelings of separation.

People who spend long hours on social media also get a poor quality of sleep and poor quality of sleep has a direct impact on one’s mental health.

Regular, high-quality sleep is crucial for well-being, and evidence suggests that poor-quality sleep contributes to unfavorable mental health effects, such as depression and even worse memory loss.

In addition, cyberbullying is also rampant in social media which can trigger mental health problems.

There is no limit to how distractive social media abuse can get to people’s mental and physical health that is why moderation and awareness should be practiced.

How can you manage the effects of social media?
It all goes down to self-control and self-discipline.

Always remember to control your social media use and instead find ways to create more physical interactions and connections as that is good for your mental health.

Limit the time of your social media use. You can turn off your smartphone’s data on specific time slots during the day or set a strict schedule for your sleeping time.

When spending time with family or friends, turn off your data or put away your phone so you don’t get tempted to check your social media and instead focus on creating connections and conversations.

You can also turn off your notifications or silence your phone so you don’t get distracted by beeps.

It’s not too late for you to avoid the adverse effects of social media if you start limiting your social media use daily.

By being more mindful of the time you spend on social media, you will notice a boost in your mood, focus, and overall mental health.