Posting on social media at night has been linked to poorer mental well-being, a study from University of Bristol (UK), published in the magazine Scientific Reports.

The researchers found that users’ activity at night explained about 2% of the variation in mental state – about the same as alcohol consumption, according to previous studies.

According to the authors, Nighttime use of social media can disrupt or delay sleep, reducing its quality and duration, which has a negative impact on mental health.

Researchers also found a link between late-night posting and symptoms of depression and anxiety.

The authors emphasize the need to regulate nighttime social media use and implement tools to reduce risks. Thus, a well-known Chinese short video service is already testing a feature that shows users meditative videos at night to help them stop watching. According to the researchers, such solutions, as well as educational campaigns among vulnerable groups, can improve digital literacy and responsibility.

“Social networks are often viewed as a single phenomenon, but their impact depends on the specific actions of users,” explains lead author of the study Daniel Joynson. “Our data suggests that harm may be associated with certain behaviors, such as posting content at night.”

The study is based on long-term follow-up data from 310 adult program participants Children of the 90s. They made their 18,288 posts available to researchers. The team now plans to study how emotional expression and online social interaction relate to mental well-being.

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