According to a recent study in the Journal of Public Health, substituting physical activity like exercise for 30 minutes spent on social media can have a major positive impact on one’s mental health.
By sticking to this regimen for just two weeks, research participants at Germany’s Ruhr University Bochum reported feeling considerably happier and less melancholy. When compared to the control group, they claimed to be happier (participants of the study who did not follow the routine).
Even more unexpected and intriguing is the fact that the advantages persisted for as long as six months after the study’s conclusion.
People became even more reliant on social media as a result of the pandemic, and anxiety spiked during the lockdowns. However, excessive scrolling might result in compulsive behaviours and a negative attachment to these platforms.
642 people in total were separated into four groups for the study. One group was instructed to cut back on social media use by 30 minutes. The second group was instructed to continue using social media as usual while also including 30 minutes of exercise in their schedule. The third group was told to cut back on social media use while increasing physical exercise in its place. The fourth group was instructed to make no adjustments.
The trial was conducted for two weeks.
All study participants were surveyed prior to, throughout, and six months after the two-week trial period.
Results showed a link between increased physical activity and decreased media use. Participants who used the combination strategy had a significant decrease in depression symptoms.
This demonstrates the importance of occasionally reducing our online availability and returning to our human roots, according to study leader and assistant professor Dr. Julia Brailovskaia.
