Spending too much time on social media can lead to various health issues like anxiety, depression, loneliness, etc. In 2024, a worldwide survey proved that 210 million people out of 4.8 billion suffer from social media addiction. Aware of its downsides, fitness icon Arnold Schwarzenegger suggests cutting down on your scrolling time in his recent newsletter.
Overuse of social media has increased the incidence of a condition called ‘behavioral addiction.’ It occurs when people cannot control their time on social media. Therefore, Arnold Schwarzenegger, with the backing of scientific research, has suggested that limiting the time you dedicate to scrolling on social media is integral to making yourself feel better.
“Cutting back on social media led to significantly less anxiety, depression, and loneliness — and increased overall happiness and well-being.”
In the study, the researchers focused on starting with minimal targets instead of a complete restriction. The participants were asked to limit their social media usage to thirty minutes a day. Though most found it hard, scientists witnessed significant changes for groups that achieved the target.
“It appears that simply working towards the goal and consciously putting in the effort to reduce social media had additional psychological benefits.”
The Austrian Oak further mentions that those who spent less time on social media felt more positive. The scientists also observed that these participants had a better outlook on life.
Schwarzenegger further suggests that those who wish to minimize their social media usage should set daily reminders. Setting a reminder to do it five times a day will help you. And for those who check up on social media first thing in the morning after waking up or before going to bed, he suggests setting a reminder to ensure you do not use it at that particular time.
Hence, per Arnold, spending less time on your phone will help you look at life more positively. Apart from looking out for his village members, Schwarzenegger once revealed how too much social media impacts your health.
Arnold Schwarzenegger shares the downsides of using social media
Knowing social media’s downsides, Arnold does not rely on it too much. In another edition of his newsletter, he opened up about the negative effects of social media on a person.
He added that social media can make you less productive and positive while also lowering your happiness. Therefore, recent studies have also pointed out that spending less time scrolling improves one’s quality of life. It also mentioned that overusing social media can lead to chronic inflammation, which, in turn, can result in high levels of stress, loneliness, an inadequate diet, and a lack of exercise or sleep.
Overuse of social media can also become a cause of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and mental health conditions. Therefore, Arnold shared some tips with his village members to aid in lowering the use of social media:
- Don’t start your day with social media.
- Avoid using devices before bedtime.
- Restrict using social media before going to a workout.
