The researchers analyzed the behavior of the users of the X platform (former Twitter), taking into account the time of posting Tweets, and correlated this data with a long-term study on the mental health of some people in western England, known as “Children of the 90s” (Longitudinal Avon study).
In the study quoted by DPA/PA media, over 18,000 tweets were examined from 2008-2023, and participants completed questionnaires on their well-being, reports
The results indicate that users posting between 23:00 and 05:00 have a considerably worse disposition to those posting during the day. The nocturnal activity on social networks explains about 2% of the disposition variation, and a connection was also observed with the symptoms of depression and anxiety, although less obvious.
The researchers emphasize that the use of social networks at night can replace sleep, bringing “cognitive excitement” and affecting the production of melatonin hormone – the one who is responsible for inducing sleep, due to exposure to the blue light of the screens. These combined effects delay asleep and reduce the quality and amount of sleep, conditions that are correlated with better mental health.
“All these factors can be combined by delaying asleep and leading to a quality and a deficient amount of sleep,” the researchers wrote in the Scientific Reports magazine.
Daniel Joinson, the main author of the study, states that the impact of social networks on mental health depends a lot on the behaviors of users and their specific experiences on these platforms. He believes that research like this can guide interventions and legislations meant to discourage the harmful use of social networks, but keeping their benefits.
“Although social networks are often treated as a monolith, their impact on mental health will depend on the exact behaviors of users and the experiences they have on these platforms,” says Johnson.
