Coping with Social Media: Strategies for a Healthier Mind

As we continue to track through 2026 it seems that the chaotic nature of our world continues to grow more draining on our minds, and taxing to our souls. I have been doing a deep dive into health related issues, looking for answers to improve my energy levels, and generally get healthier and in this research a common theme has been how demanding our online connectivity is. During my research here are some key points to consider:

• Reduction of attention span – especially by doom scrolling we hold images and thoughts so briefly and then scroll on. This constant concentration breaks down cognitive function.
• FOMO – social media creates in us a fear of missing out which fuels spending more time scrolling.
• Physical inactivity – the more time spent in front of a screen takes from movement and physical activity. Physical activity is essential to overall health.
• Curated images and information dont reflect reality, and can feed feelings that are negative or unproductive such as jealousy, anxiety, and in some cases depression.
• Sleep Disruption: The blue light from screens and late-night scrolling interfere with sleep cycles, causing insomnia and reduced sleep quality.

Prior to this technology becoming mainstream we valued quiet time, and were limited in what we knew about the world around us. Today its almosts instant that we learn of events, and in fact see them. Honestly all this information is an overload. So how do you cope with social media?

1. Turn off notifications – If its your phone or your computer, choose to turn off every notification or if you must have them utilize the summary feature offered on most phones.
2. Make a plan for your time usage and hold yourself accountable. In order to understand how much time i have been spending with social media I turned on a feature on my iphone that gives me a weekly summary of the amount of time used…. and it was sobering that figure. I am working hard to reduce the time spent.
3. Unsubscribe as needed – If you find yourself consumed with a specific social media make a decision to unsubscribe. I did that with my Facebook account because i realized it was eating up my time.
4. Take a digital detox – Either set a span of time, or a specific room in your home where you declare it a phone free zone. I am working on picking one day a week to set my phone on the charger and not pick it up.

So its my plan to fall in love with the simplicity of reading a book in my easy chair, or the joy of listening to music from the stereo, and actually not caring if I am missing out on something posted. Life is challenging enough. I dont think i want to know 24/7 of every detail of every crazy bit of news as it occurs in real time. I crave a bit more of the simplicity we had before smart phones and social media consumed us. No, i am not giving up my iPhone, but just setting some parameters to be healthier. Won’t you join me?