Lifestyle Taya Bregant Lifestyle Taya Bregant

Building A Healthier Work-Life Balance To Prevent Burning Out

Although everyones version of work-life balance is different and personal to their own priorities and preferences, it is fundamental that we are able to find time for work as well as time for ourselves or for our family, friends and all other non work related activities.

In this blog post, we look at exactly that: What work life balance actually is, why we should care about it as well as how to bring more of it back into our lives.

I have previously written about this topic here, so if you are interested, please check it out.

I hope you enjoy this one 😊


WHAT EVEN IS WORK-LIFE BALANCE?


Work life balance is the act of maintaining some sort of equilibrium between the demands of ones professional career with the demands of our personal lives.

There is a common misconception that with work-life balance, we have to spend equal times doing our personal things and also working while that is not true. In some stages or phases of our lives, that equilibrium will not be perfectly balanced and equally shared, instead we will slightly prioritize one aspect more than the other and then perhaps in the next stage of our life, our priorities shift again and rebalance.

It is both the idea of viewing work life balance in the long run, but also seeing it through an everyday lens of how you are spending your time and trying our best to do some personal and work related things each day, to the best of our abilities.

Realize that life is not perfect, but what you can do is to simply try your best at making time for yourself, for others and for your work in whatever proportions make most sense to you in that period of your life.


WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?


Even though achieving work life balance is always a work in progress and never really a final point in time that we reach, there are some important reasons for why it should be prioritized:


Greatly impacts your mental health

  • If you find that you are experiencing a lot of stress each day but don't have enough time to unwind, that stress can become unmanageable and start seriously negatively impacting your mental health. You may start experiencing increased fatigue, poor memory, reduced ability to focus and concentrate as well as increasing your chances for depression or anxiety disorders.

  • Another potent effect of poor life balance is the increased likelihood of developing burnout which is recognized as a state of complete mental, psychical and emotional exhaustion causing you to find less enjoyment in enjoyable everyday activities and being more prone to isolation and other illnesses. A study in 2022 which examined over 15,000 employees in 15 countries shower that about a quarter of those employees showed symptoms of burnout and exhaustion, making burnout an ever increasing condition around the world.


Your physical health is at risk too

  • A poor work life balance can in the long run seriously increase your risk for various diseases such as cardiovascular disease and disorders of the musco-skeletal and psychological kind along side endocrinological issues. Some studies have also started making a link between chronically high stress levels and a higher chance of developing certain cancers and ulcers. Therefore, maintaining a healthy work life balance not only reduces your stress but also allows you to prioritize your health and wellbeing by making the time to move your body, eat healthy and properly unwind when needed.


Your job or career performance is impacted

  • Many studies have proven that excessive stress in the work place makes employees sick more frequently and leads to poorer employee productivity overall. Being stressed and over worked also diminishes your ability to focus and make good coherent decisions both in our personal and work lives.


10 TIPS FOR REGAINING WORK LIFE BALANCE


Stop And Asses Your Situation

  • Often, when we are faced with many responsibilities, tasks, and things to worry about, we get so caught up in our everyday problems and commitments that we often forget to take the time to pause, slow down, and reflect on what is actually happening and how we are feeling. We have to be honest with ourselves and look at our situation objectively to figure out how we are actually feeling, what is causing us stress or anxiety each day, and what things cause us to be dissatisfied during the day.

  • Furthermore, it is important to consider how these emotions are impacting your performance in your job, in your personal relationships, or even in your hobbies, and the relationship you have with yourself.

  • This step is ultimately about coming to terms with what is, embracing your feelings, and starting to acknowledge the issues that need to be tackled first to ensure you stay in good health. Consider what your current priorities are (where you put most of your current time and energy) as well as what things you are sacrificing and what is being lost in the process. Write it all down as it will come in useful later.


Accept That There Is No Perfect Work Life Balance

  • Usually, when we hear the concept of 'work-life balance,' we imagine this perfect scenario where you spend half of your day working, and the other half is spent with your family, the people you love, and working on yourself. While this may be true sometimes, it is faulty to assume that it's like this every day. Additionally, when we place this pressure on ourselves to live a perfect life every day, we start to unnecessarily compare ourselves, which causes us to feel dissatisfied and disappointed by ourselves, which does us no good.

  • Instead, it is better to focus on a realistic schedule instead of a perfect one, since there will inevitably be things that will come up unexpectedly, and we have to learn to be flexible and agile in these scenarios, both with our time and energy.

  • When it comes to a realistic schedule, our priorities may shift slightly from day to day or week to week. For example, on some days, you may focus more on work and your career, while on other days, you may focus more on enjoying life with the people closest to you. Overall, the point is that this sense of balance is achieved over time and is not defined by living perfectly every day, since that is impossible to begin with in the first place.


Set And Follow Your Priorities

  • When you think about it, our priorities dictate how we spend each hour of our everyday, whether we realize it or not. How you choose to spend your time in each moment is simply a reflection of your current priorities, which may be internal, such as you deciding that you want to go on a walk today, or they might be external, such as someone else telling you what you have to do.

  • Poor work-life balance and especially burnout are usually a result of poor prioritization, where we tend to prioritize work and productive output much more than the time for resting, socializing, or taking care of our health. This can result in some serious issues down the line, as discussed above. To improve this, we have to reflect on how we are currently prioritizing our time and how we would like to change and realign our priorities.

  • To help with this, consider what makes a day great for you, in terms of what has to happen for you to finish the day thinking, 'Wow, today was great.' List a couple of such personal and work-related activities and then see how you could fit them into your current daily lifestyle. This will ensure that your priorities are much more balanced, instead of being so work-focused and heavy.


Recognizing And Creating Healthy Boundaries

  • Creating healthy boundaries is a crucial step in promoting a better work-life balance. It involves setting clear limits on how much time and energy you dedicate to work and personal life. By defining when your workday begins and ends, you can ensure that your personal time remains sacred, free from work-related intrusions.

  • Communicating these boundaries with colleagues and superiors is essential, as it fosters understanding and respect for your personal life. Embracing technology wisely, such as using separate devices or applications for work and personal matters, can help reinforce these boundaries. Healthy boundaries empower you to recharge, reduce stress, and maintain a healthier equilibrium between your professional and personal life, ultimately enhancing your overall well-being and productivity


Taking Time To Unplug

  • Unplugging is paramount for achieving a healthy work-life balance in our increasingly digital and connected world. The constant stream of work-related emails, notifications, and responsibilities can encroach on our personal time, leading to burnout and stress. By disconnecting from work, whether it's at the end of the day or during vacations, we allow ourselves to recharge and focus on our personal lives, relationships, and well-being.

  • Unplugging not only reduces the risk of burnout but also fosters mental and emotional rejuvenation, enabling us to return to work with increased productivity and creativity. It reinforces the boundary between work and personal life, helping us strike a more harmonious balance between the two, ultimately leading to a happier and healthier existence.


Taking Time Off When Needed

  • When you notice yourself feeling exhausted, lacking in creative ideas, or experiencing a general sense of decreasing productivity, it may be well worth taking a break or, when possible, going on vacation for a couple of days or a week.

  • Although sometimes it may feel unproductive to take time off and rest, with many of us feeling guilty for even thinking about it, it is crucial to do so; otherwise, we can become seriously burnt out and further hinder our health.

  • Many studies confirm that the benefits associated with taking time off far outweigh the downsides of not doing it. With proper planning and coordination, you can take a break without feeling guilty and return to your workplace without encountering disarray or an overwhelming backlog of work.


Make Time For Yourself And Those Who You Love

  • Even though your career and job are important aspects of your life, they shouldn't be your entire life. Studies show that genuine and frequent social interaction is a key predictor of happiness and overall health in humans. That's why you should make time each day and each week to spend time with the people you love, such as family, significant others, friends, or colleagues. Find ways to support more social activities in your weekly routine, such as scheduling future meetups and dates on a calendar or simply calling or texting your friends more often.

  • Time spent with yourself is just as important as time spent with other people, as it allows you to recharge, explore new hobbies, learn about new fields of interest, and work on self-improvement. Both aspects are needed to find happiness.

  • The aim is to do your best when it comes to prioritizing both yourself and all the other important individuals in your life, as meaningful and trusting relationships are truly important for our overall happiness and satisfaction in life.


Having An Occupation Which Truly Excites You

  • If you dislike what you do every day, obviously, you will not be showing up to work happy and energized. In the long run, this can lead to a severe decline in productivity, poor self-esteem, and even depression. This is an example where work-life balance may take a turn in the other direction, where we want to spend as much time out of our job as possible. This can lead us to overindulge in comforting activities such as overeating, leading a sedentary lifestyle, and, in general, not taking good care of ourselves.

  • When you find a career that fits you and excites you, your overall happiness and energy levels can return to normal. This can help you rebuild a weekly schedule that supports both your personal and work-related matters, ensuring a healthier work-life balance in the long run."


Listen To Your Body And Emotions

  • One of the key causes of burnout is when we start to lose touch with our own bodies and well-being, suppressing emotions or feelings, and pushing ourselves when our body and mind are clearly signaling the need for a break.

  • We need to become more aware of our body's signals, which tell us when to take a break or perhaps to focus and put our heads down. Overdoing it in either direction is not beneficial.

  • Your body is constantly providing you with feedback about your current physical and mental well-being. However, if you keep ignoring it and pushing it aside, your health will inevitably take a downturn. Therefore, take a couple of minutes each day to truly slow down, perhaps as the first thing in the morning or the last thing at night. Consider how you truly feel, whether you experience any discomfort or pain, and what your body truly needs in that moment. These needs will vary from week to week and may include things like the need for proper sleep and recharging, the need to break out of a boring routine and try something new, or the need to spend less time alone and socialize more


Implement suitable changes

  • Once you have gone through the above steps and figured out how you feel and what is causing you to feel this way, it is time to consider which suitable changes you can make to support these new changes that you want to make in your life.

  • When it comes to changes in your private life, you might want to get better at imposing boundaries on when you choose to work and when you choose not to work, or turning down excessive demands from work when you already have plenty going on. In terms of public changes that you can make, you can establish better communication between you and your boss regarding your current capabilities in terms of time and energy. You can suggest to your boss that perhaps a couple of days per week of working from home would work better for you (if that is an option), or maybe discuss the addition of a couple more days of vacation each year.


CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

Overall, it is important to realize that everyone has challenges with finding a work-life balance that works for them. Striving for this balance is something that all of us have to work through every day in order to establish a work-life balance in the long term. The point is not to strive for some perfect idea of work-life balance that is unrealistic and unattainable. Instead, we should try our best each day to prioritize what is truly important to us and what truly makes life worth living in the end.


🧠 KEY IDEAS

In todays blog post we discussed the idea of work life balance, in terms of what it is, what are the issues of a poor work life balance as well as 10 practical tips on how to realign your priorities and restore that balance.


✏️ REFERENCES

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Nutrition Taya Bregant Nutrition Taya Bregant

Nootropics - The New Smart Drugs For Boosting Cognition

Substances known as “nootropics” have for some time been emerging in popularity among the nutrition world, so I wanted to see what the buzz was all about. Scientists are claiming that these substances have the ability to enhance our mental cognition, memory retention as well as create deeper focus and flow. Nowadays you can find a variety of these nootropics, either prescription or simply from food sources, so I wanted to look fore mostly into our current understanding of how these substances work, how they impact our mental abilities as well as what are currently the best nootropics you can get your hands on if you are interested in trying them.

New things are consistently being discovered so it is important to be careful of their potential side effects or any precautions you should be aware about as with any other medication or supplement.

If you are interested to learn more about nootropics, read onwards


WHAT ARE NOOTROPICS?

First of all, let’s clarify what these substances actually are.

In the past, nootropics referred to chemicals which had to adhere to very specific criteria but nowadays nootropics are defined as any natural or synthetic substance that can have a positive or enhancing effect on out mental abilities. In this way, these “smart drugs” have a stimulating effect on our brain and have also been shown to counteract the symptoms of a variety of medical conditions such as ADHD, narcolepsy or Alzheimers disease.


HOW DO THEY WORK?

There is a large variety of nootropics out there, and because they are all biochemically different from each other, they also have different mechanisms of working in our body so it is hard to generalize about how nootropics bring about these brain enhancing abilities.

One study for example proposed that most nootropics act as vasodilators, meaning that they relax our blood vessels, causing more blood flow for delivering valuable oxygen and nutrients to those areas, allowing us to think clearer.

Other studies pointed that much more research is needed to establish the consensus that nootropics work for everyone and that they are also safe for everyone, however studies have confirmed that nootropics such as omega 3 fatty acids and caffeine can indeed have mentally stimulating effects helping with memory and short term focusing.

If you are new to nootropics, most dietitians would recommend to start with food based nootropics such as those from coffee and fatty fish, however making sure you are getting adequate levels of sleep, movement and proper nutrition into your day is just as critical for keeping good mental health.

If you are further interested about how to naturally enhance your brains health, I have previously written about it here


TYPES OF NOOTROPICS


Nowadays you can find a lot of different types of nootropics, which can either be synthetic or non synthetic and can be available either in prescription form or over the counter.

Below I wanted to take a look at the 3 most common types of nootropics: Prescription, Synthetic and Dietary.

Prescription Nootropics


These kinds of nootropics are medications which are designed to be able to treat certain mental or medical conditions, such as dementia or ADHD for example. Some common examples of prescription nootropics are:

  • Memantine: This medication is mostly prescribed to reduce the sytmpotms of Alzheimers disease.

  • Adderall: Adderal is a trade name and is otherwise a combination drug termed as “mixed amphetamine salts” and contains 4 different salts of amphetamine. Adderal tends to be prescribed to people who need help with managing ADHD symptoms.

  • Provigil (modafinil): This drug acts as a stimulant on our nervous system and is prescribed for treating conditions such as narcolepsy, sleep apnea and shift work sleep disorder.

  • Ritalin (methylphenidate): This too has a stimulating effect for our central nervous system and is commonly prescribed for people who have ADHD and sometimes prescribed for treating narcolepsy.


Synthetic Nootropics

A lot of synthetic nootropics belong to a group of drugs named racetams which is a class of drugs that all share a specific similar chemical structures.

Some of the most common racetams include:

  • Aniracetam

  • Piracetam

  • Oxiracetam

  • Phenylpiracetam

  • Pramiracetam

Some studies have indicated a positive association between racetams and neuroprotective effects however more studies are needed to produce more consistent evidence in order to potentially make racetams useful medications for dementia or cognitive impairments.

Dietary Nootropics

CAFFEINE

  • Without realizing it, many people already consume nootropics in the form of caffeine that is found in coffee. Caffeine is the most commonly and widely consumed substance in the world.

  • I have previously written about the effects of caffeine on our body and mind HERE. Studies on caffeine have demonstrate that a non excessive caffeine intake (not more than 4-5 cups of coffee per day) can yield the following positive benefits:

    • Increased attention.

    • Boosting mental focus.

    • Increased energy levels.

  • Of course consuming more caffeine per day than recommended, (more than 400mg per day), will likely lead to unwanted effects such as inability to fall asleep, jitteriness, nausea or nervousness.

CREATINE

  • Creatine is an amino acid which acts as a building block for making up proteins in our body, where this amino cid is especially popular among athletes due to being able to improve athletic performance. Apart from boosting athletic performance, creatine has been shown to be beneficial for:

    • Positively impacts our short term memory.

    • Increases our reasoning abilities.

    • Helps muscles to recover faster after exercise.

    • Increases muscle mass.

    • Reduces muscle cramping.

  • Although more research is needed to test creatine’s impacts on our brain functioning, there is good evidence to show that it can be beneficial for athletes.


GINKO BILOBA

  • Ginko biloba is a species of gymnosperms that is native to China, where its leaves are commonly sold are supplements for claiming to have positive effects on our mental abilities.

  • Some of the common reasons for why people take this supplement is:

    • Enhances our mental cognition.

    • Improves clarity of thinking and fights brain fog.

    • Improves symptoms of dementia.

  • Just like with other dietary nootropics, effects of ginkgo biloba need to be further studied to establish any long term connections however it has been proven to be safe for our consumption.

L-THEANINE

  • L-theanine is a naturally occurring amino acid that's found in the leave of green or black teas and is nowadays commonly sold in supplement form.

  • Studies conduced on L-theanine supplements showed that L-theanine could:

    • Boost alertness and cognitive performance.

    • Could possibly increase alpha brain waves which contribute to a relaxed yet alert state of mind.

    • Works well when paired with caffeine to boost cognitive performance and alertness.


OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS

  • Nowadays you hear a lot of talk about omega 3 fatty acids and I have previously talked about them in this blog post.

  • These fatty acids have been found to have beneficial effects on your brain health while helping to building the membranes of your bodies cells along side insulating your neurons for faster neural conduction.

  • Some other studies have indicated that omega 3’s are able to slow down mental decline among elderly people due to having neuro-protective properties and being able to repair and renewer brain cells.

  • Omega 3’s are considered essential fatty acids meaning that we have to obtain them through our diet, such as with fatty fish like salmon, sardines and cod or through fish oil supplements.


PANAX GINSENG

  • This is a shrub which is native to China and parts of Siberia where its roots have been for a long time used for its potent medicinal purposes. Researchers behind some studies on human trials have shown convincing evidence that Panax ginseng can reduce the risk of certain brain diseases including Alzheimers and Parkinson's

  • Apart from Alzheimers and Parkinson's, Panax ginseng could also potentially help with Huntington's disease as well as the recovery of our brains after a stroke.

  • This nootropic and supplement can negatively interact with any medication we may be taking so its best to check with your doctor before use.


RHODIOLA

  • Rhodiola is a plant which is native to parts of Europe and Asia and has been for centuries used as a herbal treatment for fatigue, anxiety and stress. Its function as a nootropic is also to improve our memory, learning and brain function.

  • Some studies have indicated that rhodiola could have potent neuro-protective properties and may also help with treating neurodegenerative diseases.

  • Furthermore, this nootropic may also help with regulating the balance of neurotransmitters in the brain and contribute to better mental wellbeing and a happier overall mood.

  • The capsules for rhodiola supplements vary in strength, but for most people taking 1-2 capsules per day is the recommended dose.


EFFECTS OF NOOTROPICS


Better Memory Retention And Learning Abilities

  • Research has discovered that the first synthetic nootropic to have been developed (piracetam) can greatly improve our working memory. Additionally, the amino acid creatine also has the ability to positively influence short term memory.

  • Similar results were also noted with the drug Provigil (modafinil) which enhanced long term learning abilities.


Boost Creativity

  • The well known nootropic L-theanine has been shown to increase alpha waves in our brain where greater alpha wave activity is associated with increased creativity and a state of calmness. Further studies have found, that the effects that L-theanine are most potent when combined with caffeine.


Improved attention, Concentration And Motivation

  • As mentioned previously, certain nootropics are also used for calming and centering our concentration and attention, which makes them useful for people who may struggled with ADHD.


THE MOST PROMISING NOOTROPICS SO FAR


CDP - Choline:

  • This is a naturally occurring substance in our tissues and cells where it plays a vital role in ensuring healthy cell membranes.

  • Most commonly, this substance is prescribed as a drug and as been shown to help boost memory, especially among people who have dementias that are caused by vascular issues within the brain. Currently, there are no major known side effects of using this nootropic so it is considered safe to be used by most people.


L - Theanine:

  • L-Thenine is a naturally occurring amino acid that is found in green tea and some types of mushroom species, where it most commonly is found in 2 different biochemical forms: L-theanine and D-theanine, where L-theanine is the more common one.

  • In its function, the amino acid theanine is similar to glutamate, which is another amino cid that helps to transmit nerve impulses in the brain. Sometimes theanine works similarly to glutamate, but other times it seems to block the effects of glutamate.

  • Other studies have shown that when paired with caffeine, L-theanine specifically can enhance the effects of caffeine thus helping us focus for longer while counteracting the anxiety and jitteriness of coffee.

  • Green tea like matcha has been shown to contain both L-theanine and caffeine together which may help you multitask, while taking L-theanine supplement together with coffee also has similar effects. If you want to learn more about the L-theanine powerhouse of matcha, you can find the blog post here


Creatine monohydrate:

  • This type of creatine is often found within muscle building supplements and contributes to building new muscle mass. Other studies have also shown that it improves our reasoning skills and short term memory among healthy people.

  • Furthermore, creatine helps your muscles with generating more energy so it can also boost your energy through the day or during exercise.


PRECAUTIONS AND ADVICE FOR USE


If you are interested into venturing into the world of nootropics and trying out some for yourself, keep the following pieces of advice in mind:

  • Before use, always consult with your doctor or a medical professional since some of these substance can negatively interact with any other medication you may be currently taking.

  • Some brands of nootropics may not be truly transparent in terms of what is in their products so always make sure you know what you are consuming. Because of this, try looking for reputable companies which undergo independent testing to be ensure the best choice for you.

  • If you have a certain medical condition, discuss how taking nootropics may affect your mental state and wether it is safe for you to use them and in what dosages.

  • Make sure to only consume the dosage that your doctor has recommended for you or the dosage that is recommended on the back of a product, as otherwise it might lead to unwanted side effects.

  • Whenever taking any sort of chemical substance, there is a high likelihood of some unwanted side effects to be present so always do your research before consuming something and find out what the possible side effects are.

  • Overall, while nootropics may genuinely enhance your mental capabilities and cognition, more research is needed to establish the safety and effectiveness of their use as well as the long term effects of using nootropics.


🔑 KEY IDEAS

In todays blog post we are looking at the newly emerging topic of nootropics and how these so called “smart” drugs can help us enhance our mental capabilities, alongside exploring what are the best natural and synthetic nootropics out here and wether they are really safe for use.


✏️ REFERENCES

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Lifestyle Taya Bregant Lifestyle Taya Bregant

Maintaining A Healthy Relationship With Social Media

Based on the statistics resource Statista, so far in 2022, 4.59 billion people are currently labeled as social media users, which represents a very large percentage of the global population.

Additionally based on data from 2021, people in the age category of 0-19 years and 10-24 years spend an average of 49 minutes per day on social media while the largest amount of time spent on social media (60minutes) is actually by people in the age category of 40-45 years old.

This data represents two main conclusions:

  • The number of internet and social media users is increasing daily

  • Different age categories are likely to spend substantial time on social media, a trend likely to increase

With this I wanted to highlight, that it is very likely that social media is going anywhere anytime soon meaning that it is becoming easier for us to fall prey to this alluring (and wasteful) use of our time. Luckily, we have the ability to control how much social media we allow to enter into our lives and which kinds of information we intake.

For this reason, I have written this post to discuss why social media is such a common time waster, what are the negatives of it and how we can ultimately have a more manageable relationship with social media.


WHY DO WE FIND OURSELVES CHECKING SOCIAL MEDIA?



Infinite scrolling:

The reason why we often find ourselves endlessly scrolling or browsing through social media and why it is so addictive in the first place, has to do firstly with the way the information is laid out.

Most online platforms including many social media apps today, such as Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube, Reddit, Tik Tok etc, make use of what is called infinite scrolling technique in which media continually reloads as you scroll down a page. This makes it easy for time to pass, as it makes the experience of viewing images, texts or videos very easy and effortless. When combined with the fact that social media websites personalize our feed to our preferences, it can make us more prone to becoming addicted to continuous scrolling.

Additionally, human beings are prone to the Unit bias, which states that we are naturally motivated to complete a full unit of something, in order to find a satisfying experience. When this is combined with the infinite scrolling algorithm found in social media apps, it results in continuous scrolling as we try to get to the end of something, but because new content is continually generated, we never actually get to the end of that content.



Role of dopamine:

Another biological aspect we have to consider is the role of dopamine. Dopamine is a naturally produced chemical and neurotransmitter in our bodies, whose main functions revolve around motivation and seeking of rewards; in other words, dopamine enables us to learn which behaviors do good for us which encourages us to do more of those types of activities.

The way in which dopamine works in terms of social media goes like this: When we browse through social media and for example get a bunch of comments or likes on a photo we just posted, our brains reward center becomes activated which releases dopamine into our system. This chemical brings pleasurable sensations to us - sort of like a neurological “high”, which essentially reinforces the notion that we should continue doing more of that activity that allowed for the release of dopamine (opening social media to see how many likes we have received). Keep in mind that dopamine is released both in anticipation of doing something as well as when we do something itself.

This same process can occur when browsing through content which makes us laugh, relieves us temporarily of uncomfortable feelings or relaxes us, all of which make use of the natural reward system in our brains which releases dopamine to reinforce that behavior.

The catch is that once the dopamine levels in our body start to decline due to the natural regulation of homeostasis, our brains will once again try to seek for activities which will release dopamine and start the feel good process all over again. In this way, scrolling through social media, provides little constant bursts of dopamine which over time can lead into a serious and time wasting habit of compulsively checking your phone and mindlessly scrolling.



Involved brain regions:

This idea of mindlessly scrolling through never ending infinity pools of media and information essentially means that we are constantly using our limbic portion of the brain, which is responsible for processing emotions and reactively responding to our environment. Instead, we should be predominantly using our prefrontal cortex in order to make decisions, as it specialized in planning and problem solving - processes which add rationale behind our behaviors.


DRAWBACKS OF EXCESSIVE SOCIAL MEDIA USE



Body Image Issues & Insecurities

  • By posting photos of ourselves, social media enables us to earn the approval of others for our appearance and ability to compare ourselves with others. In this way, constantly comparing our physical attributes to other often very curated and “perfect” bodies or people can make us feel worse about ourselves and encourages the development of eating disorders and low self esteem. Posters on social media have the tendency to only post their highlight or best looking moments, which creates an unfair source of comparison for us.



The Question Of Trust

  • One advantage of social media is that it allows us to have access to large platforms of people with which we can share media and connect with. This is great for expanding our social circle but on one hand, you have to be careful of this increased exposure to other people, as not everyone who presents themselves as a “friend” is actually your friend in real life. Furthermore, even though we are more digitally connected than ever, people are report higher feelings of isolation and loneliness, which can arise from excessive use of social media and lack of in person interactions.



Sleep Difficulties

  • As humans we are biologically wired to get tired and fall asleep when it gets dark outside, however in our technological age that is becoming increasingly harder with our bright phone or laptop screens glaring into our face much after sun down. Social media use is not making this issue any better. The issue with common electronics is that they emit blue light from their screen which in the evenings, suppresses our bodies natural release of melatonin - a chemical crucial for initiating sleep - essentially making us less tired and ready for sleep. Additionally, with social media we might be consuming alarming, distressing, disturbing or even funny media which stimulates our brains and makes it even harder for us to get a good nights sleep without waking up in between.



Social Media Is Addicting

  • When we gain approval of others through social media, which can be in the form of likes, comments, shares, followers or views, our brain registers this positive increase with a release of dopamine which essentially encourages our brain to do more of the same behavior which lead to this positive experience. This effectively means that checking social media and spending more time on it can become a very addicting habit, which can lead to further issues such as procrastination, FOMO (fear of missing out) and a shorter attention span.



Higher Incidence of Depression and Anxiety

  • FOMO, or the fear or missing out is a very real issue when it comes to social media usage, as it has been associated with greater rates of anxiety and depression when we are concerned we will miss out on something. Additionally, when we see that we are not part of something online or are excluded form it, depression and anxiety also increase. A study from 2022 showed that people who took even just a one week break from social media, experienced significant improvements in their perceived levels of depression, anxiety, and general well being.


MANAGING YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA RELATIONSHIP


Getting caught up in the mindless scrolling of social media can sometimes happen more often then we would like, so when you notice that checking social media starts to take too much of your time or mental clarity, here are some ways of managing your social media use:

  1. Try identifying why you use so much social media in the first place (What is the real need here … are you bored, tired, precasting?)

  2. Track your screen time on your devices (How much time do you spend on social media?)

  3. Become aware every time you feel the urge to go onto social media or scroll through something (ask yourself why you have that need)

  4. Keep social media apps out of sight on your home screen

  5. Try spending an hour each week doing at least one screen free activity/ hobby

  6. Finding new activities to do which do not involve being online or in front of a screen

  7. Put away your electronics during dinner, including watching Netflix and Youtube

  8. When going to sleep, leave your phone outside of the bedroom

  9. Try setting a time boundary for apps (can be done through settings)

  10. Try different browser extensions which can temporarily block your access to social media sites on your laptop or desktop

  11. Be mindful of the people you follow and the type of content you consume (be intentional with how you use social media)

  12. Resist the urge to share your whole life

  13. Turn off notifications from social media, especially when you are trying to focus on something

  14. Completely turn of your phone during times of focus or put it onto mute/ focus mode

  15. As a more extreme measure, opt for deleting certain social media apps every once in a while and re-downloading them when a week or so has passed (digital detox)


CONCLUDING WORDS

Within this article we discussed the common issue of increased social media usage across the world, which has unfortunately also lead to many unwanted issues that our current generations face, such as lack of focus, shorter attention spans, increased rates of loneliness as well as depression and anxiety. We continued with explaining what about social media makes social media use so effortless and addicting to our brains, and finally finishing with some practical advice of how to take handle and manage your own social media consumption in a healthy way.

Thank you so much for reading this 💛

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