For most of us, social media is a part of our daily routine. However, it can get to the point where it can function like an addiction, which is never a good thing! Could your health benefit from a little less time on social media? Our team at AFC Urgent Care Ooltewah wants to share some insight on the topic.

How Does Social Media Affect You?

Before we dig in to the poor qualities, social media does have a lot of good qualities. It can give us the information we need to live a better life, as well as can help us to keep in touch with our loved ones, especially those who live far away. However, with every pro there is a con. Social media use can also lead to a lack of sleep, social withdrawal and eye strain. Therefore, it is important to monitor your social media use so that you are getting an adequate amount without going overboard.

Using Social Media Safely

• Establish boundaries for how often you’ll use it.
• Disconnect frequently to engage with people in real life.
• Unfriend or unfollow people who are toxic or overly negative.
• Research what you read about before putting it into action.
• Recognize that social media is about perception, not reality.

How Can Social Media Affect My Sleep?

Social media can negatively impact your sleep in multiple ways, actually. For one, spending time on social media can take you down a rabbit trail, leading you to stay awake for much longer than you intended. Using an electronic device, including those used to access social media, is also a known factor in poor sleep. That’s because the blue light on those devices tricks your body into thinking it should be awake rather than winding down for the day. So, wind down your social media and device use at least a couple hours before bedtime.

Other Ways to Get Quality Sleep

• Wake up at roughly the same time every morning.
• Go to bed at roughly the same time every night.
• Take a warm bath close to bedtime.
• Play soft music at bedtime.
• Avoid caffeine in the afternoon and evening hours.
• Keep the bedroom cool and dark.

Are you having a hard time sleeping at night? Stop by AFC Urgent Care Ooltewah today! No appointment is needed.