Cannot stop scrolling? Research warns of social media related nightmares after too much online engagement

Are you an avid social media user and cannot stop watching reels and Facebook videos for hours? It is time to stop as the latest research shows that excessive social media engagement can harm you and give you nightmares! Wondering what we are talking about? Read on!

Too much social media usage can cause nightmares

According to a research published in the journal BMC Psychology , the more time you spend on social media the more emotionally connected to your presence, the more likely you are to get 'social media-related nightmares'.

An international team of researchers created the Social Media Nightmare-Related Scale (SMNS), a 14-item questionnaire, to understand the effects of excessive social media usage.

While the majority of the social media users surveyed did not experience social media-related nightmares, there was a significant link between the intensity of social media use and the occurrence of these dreams.

Flinders University’s Reza Shabahang from the College of Education, Psychology and Social Work said in a statement that while the nightmares are rare, they can occur.
“Whilst social media-related nightmares are relatively rare, those who use social media more during their daily lives are more likely to have social media-related nightmares that are associated with negative mental health outcomes, such as anxiety, depression and sleep quality,” Shabahang said.

How to cope?

Try reducing your social media engagement time to a minimum. Sleep experts recommend ending screen time one hour before shutting your eyes. You should instead opt for something that helps you unwind such as reading or tidying up.

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