Social media has its legitimate place in culture and society. Yet the pressure to maintain an online persona 24/7 may have serious physical and psychological effects on teens, according to a new study.
Researchers asked 467 teenagers about how often they are online throughout the day. Researchers then looked at their sleeping patterns, the quality of sleep, the inception of depression, self-esteem and anxiety.
UNDER PRESSURE
Overall, the study found that the necessity of being on social media at all times triggers low sleep quality and has a negative effect of self-esteem – particularly in teenagers who log at night.
“Since adolescence is a vulnerable period for development of long-term issues, it is essential that we understand how adolescents’ social media use relates to factors like sleep quality and the risk of depression,” the researchers wrote in the new study.
Teenage years tend to be turbulent, study author Heather Cleland Woods, of the University of Glasgow in Scotland, explained. Adolescents are more prone to suffering from depression and anxiety; sleeping poorly to live longer in the virtual world may contribute to the risk of developing these conditions.
Smartphones and computers have practically become a body extension. The purpose of the study is certainly not to place social media under the guillotine, but rather to increase awareness about the risks of the digital overdose. Aided by the constant access provided by mobile devices, especially smartphones, 92% of teens report going online daily — including 24% who say they go online “almost constantly,” according to a study from Pew Research Center.
Social media has become almost a responsibility in the lives of teenagers they feel bound to keep up with. Self-promotion and “the trap of comparison” become so crucial to their well-being that they can subsequently create feelings of low self-assurance in some adolescents. Because their behaviors are not usually seen as a red flag, in a previous study published in the journal World Psychiatry, young people who use tons of media and don’t get enough sleep or exercise, have been nicknamed the “invisible risk” group by the study’s authors.
“In some ways they are at greater risk of falling through the cracks,” says Vladimir Carli, a researcher at the National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention of Mental Ill-Health at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.
A BREAK FROM SOCIAL MEDIA
Cleland Woods suggested that parents should impose a “digital sunset” – a sort of virtual curfew to minimize the potential negative effects of social media use on sleep and teen’s mental health.
“Turn off the devices and the blue light, stop checking emails and social media, and allow yourself time to finish your day,” she said. “Sleep is important, so put your phone away.”
If you are interested in reading a teenager’s view on social media written by an actual teen, click here.
What do you think of the role social media plays in the lives of teens in the U.S.? Share your views in the comments section below.
THERE IS VERY POOR WIFI…IN SPACE
https://youtu.be/UdcU4nKKV2E
Social Media May Be Crushing Teen Souls
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