Chances are you’re reading this after a quick scroll through Instagram, before a notification from Facebook drags you away again. Social media is now so ubiquitous – an estimated 53 million Brits use it regularly – that it’s hard to remember life without DMs, reels and likes.
The problem is that these platforms, including TikTok, X, and Snapchat, are so compulsive. “Scrolling through content or receiving ‘likes’ causes the brain’s reward centre to release dopamine, which presses the “save” button in the autopilot area of the brain and creates a habit [the brain’s way of saving mental energy],” explains Dr Faye Begeti, practising neurology doctor at Oxford University Hospitals and author of The Phone Fix: How to Transform Your Smartphone Habits.
It may feel irresistible but those juicy dopamine hits won’t continue. “The brain quickly becomes desensitised to frequent social media use. This can actually increase the behaviour as we try to chase that initial reward,” Begeti says. “After a while, the habit becomes coupled with emotions and we check our phone as a form of avoidance; a way to deal with frustration, boredom or other negative emotions.”
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Read MoreIn 2024, research by the University of Cambridge found that almost half (48 per cent) of British teenagers admit they are addicted to social media. For some, this reliance on social media could lead to anxiety and depression. Although the link between the two is well established for adolescents, research focused on adults shows this is a complex area, as there are many variable factors involved on testing the effects.
Can quitting social media or, preferably, avoiding the mindless scrolling and frequent check-ins, really improve our cognitive function, mood, sleep and relationships? Here, neuroscientists tell The i Paper exactly what happens to our brain when we avoid social media for an hour, a day, a week, month and year.
“Frequent unintentional checks are particularly disruptive and can fragment our attention, even if they total less overall screentime,” says Dr Begeti. But don’t expect your attention span to be back to normal the instant you put down your phone. “This period might trigger feelings of unease or an itchiness to check. It’s a reflection of ingrained habits,” she adds.
Dr Huriye Atilgan, neuroscientist and founder of the TAK (Trusted Apps for Kids) Index, explains, “Within an hour, many people notice heightened awareness of their surroundings. This occurs because the brain, accustomed to a constant stream of digital stimuli, begins searching for similar input elsewhere.”
After a day or two
It’s common for this restlessness to continue. Atilgan adds, “Some even report experiencing ‘phantom vibration syndrome’ – the sensation of receiving notifications that aren’t there. This reflects the brain’s lingering expectation of social signals.”
This tactile hallucination has been attributed to technology-related anxiety. A 2015 study, published in Computers in Human Behaviour, found that an increased reliance on devices leads to increased levels of anxiety – we live in anxious anticipation for the next phone notification, and one manifestation of this is in ghost beeps and buzzes.
After a day or so, alternative coping mechanisms may begin to form, warns Begeti, “so it’s important to ensure you don’t develop other unhelpful habits in place of social media use.”
By now, the prefrontal cortex – the part of the brain responsible for focus, decision-making and self-control – has enjoyed a decent break from the persistent interruptions of social media. “As a result, people often report clearer thinking, better concentration and even bursts of creativity,” says Atilgan.
Begeti points out that fewer late-night scrolling sessions and bedtime procrastination leads to better sleep quality, which further supports the prefrontal cortex. “Urges to check social media will begin to reduce, and you may notice an increased sense of relaxation during times when social media is no longer an option,” she adds. In fact, one Chinese study found that when adults avoided using their phones before bedtime, on average they fell asleep 12 minutes quicker and slept for 18 minutes longer than adults who continued to use their phones.
Improvements in mood will begin. A small study in 2022 found a significant improvement in wellbeing, depression and anxiety for adults who stopped using social media for one week.
After a month
“Although habits can form quickly, reversing them is a slower process. By this stage, your brain will be adapting to the new pattern, but it won’t yet be fully encoded,” explains Begeti, who notes that continued improvements in sleep, which in turn supports memory function and emotional regulation, will be felt.
Less stress and a continued boost in mood are also expected around this time, according to Atilgan: “This is partly due to fewer opportunities for social comparison, which can amplify feelings of inadequacy. The extra time and mental space often allow people to rediscover hobbies, reconnect with others, and engage in more meaningful offline activities.”
This is supported by a study of almost 3,000 Facebook users carried out by researchers at Stanford and New York University. After quitting the social network for one month, participants reported spending more time offline with friends and family, rather than replacing it with other online activities. They also reported small but significant improvements in anxiety, depression and overall life satisfaction.
A new habit can take anywhere between 18 and 254 days to form, according to a University College London study, so by now, the brain has rewritten your relationship with social media. Begeti explains, “[At this point], intentional social media use will have become deeply ingrained in the autopilot brain. You may feel a stronger sense of autonomy over your time and reduced reliance on external validation.”
This long period of social media abstinence or reduction is essentially intermittent “dopamine fasting” – a type of cognitive behavioural therapy that has both its critics and champions within the science community. As excessive social media use makes us less sensitive to dopamine – and therefore more likely to experience problems with attention, impulsivity, anxiety and depression – proponents believe that avoiding this dopamine-spiking activity will eventually increase our nerve cells’ sensitivity to dopamine again and “re-set” our ability to focus and feel happy.
Atilgan believes that the changes can be transformative over the course of a year, including in our relationships: “Emotional regulation improves as the brain adjusts to slower, more intentional interactions. Many find that face-to-face connections feel more rewarding than virtual validation, which fosters a deeper sense of wellbeing and satisfaction.”
Is it healthy or realistic to go ‘cold turkey’?
According to experts, a healthy social media habit is more about how and why we use it rather than total screen time. Dr Sam Roberts, senior lecturer in psychology at Liverpool John Moores University, explains: “When people use social media in an active way, such as posting content and interacting with others, this can help build feelings of social connection, which is important for wellbeing.”
Some studies show that disconnecting from social media completely can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness, adds Begeti: “Instead of taking an all-or-nothing approach, I recommend establishing a new intentional pattern of use, such as connecting with friends and pursuing meaningful interests, and encoding that into the brain.”
4 ways to create healthier social media habits
Turn off notifications
Dr Begeti limits her social media checks to just once or twice a day: “This approach allows me to catch-up and engage intentionally, without letting it invade every aspect of my life. Develop boundaries that work for you and be consistent.”
Use time-limit functions
Many social media apps enable you to set a time limit, or you can use the screen time feature on your phone, suggests Roberts: “Set a daily limit on each social media app – such as 30 minutes or an hour – then gradually reduce this limit over time.”
Create hurdles
Logging out of social media or moving apps to a different location on her phone helps Begeti avoid unintentional use: “Small barriers to automatic checking can disrupt habitual use, giving your brain a moment to pause and consider why you’re checking.”
Curate positive feeds
Ensure the content you see is inspirational or meaningful, says Roberts: “If accounts are consistently posting content detrimental to your wellbeing, unfollow them. Instead, engage with accounts that make you feel good about yourself for a more positive experience.”
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