Ever feel like your social media habit is out of control and the only solution is to quit altogether? Lots of us have caught ourselves scrolling and wondered if we were spending too much time on Facebook or Instagram, but before you delete your account, get this - a new study finds that cutting back just a few minutes comes with all kinds of benefits that make us happier and healthier.
Researchers from Germany found that small changes can make a big impact when it comes to social media use. Their study of around 300 people who use Facebook an average of an hour a day shows that spending just 20 minutes less on it for two weeks leads to personal improvements including more physical activity, fewer depressive symptoms, and feeling more satisfied with life overall.
After two weeks, participants reported that cutting back also helped ease their symptoms of addiction towards Facebook. This suggests that scrolling may be a habit we can break pretty quickly. Researchers report that the positive effects continued and the improvements lasted until the final check-in three months after the experiment.
Source: Mind Body Green