According to research from Flinders University, scrolling through social media right before bed increases the likelihood of having disturbing nightmares.
Previous studies have indicated that this habit can lead to issues with nighttime rest and negative dreams. All of this, in turn, contributes to anxiety and stress. These findings stem from surveys showing that about three-quarters of internet users dive into social media before sleeping.
Social media is increasingly intertwined with our lives. It disrupts our sleep and casts a shadow over our dreams. This conclusion was reached by the authors of the new study, led by psychology professor Reza Shahbakhsh.
What the “Nightmare Scale” Revealed
The university team involved 595 adults who regularly used social media in their research. Participants were divided into two groups: those over 27 years old and those under 27. Volunteers were asked to respond to 14 questions from the so-called “Social Media Nightmare Scale” (SMNS). As a result, researchers aimed to determine the types of nightmares experienced and their frequency.
Participants were asked to focus specifically on nightmares—those distressing dreams that caused them to wake up (as opposed to ordinary unpleasant dreams).
The questions addressed feelings of helplessness, loss of control, depression, victimization, and mistakes made on social media. Response options ranged from zero (never) to seven (several times a week).
The results showed that the most common nightmare involved the participant being unable to access social media. The next most frequent nightmare related to relationship issues with other social media users.
The study also demonstrated that nightmares could be triggered by stress related to the internet, cyberbullying, online hate, or cyberstalking. Those who reported using social media more frequently felt more emotionally connected to it. These participants were also the ones who experienced nightmares most often.
Interestingly, gender and age did not significantly influence the trends that emerged from the survey.
The team concluded that stressful events on social media could contribute to increased anxiety, decreased mental peace, and poorer sleep quality.
The authors also noted that many participants were born in the digital age and cannot imagine life without social media. This often leads to dependency, as reported by the Daily Mail.
According to the researchers, society views social media use as almost mandatory. They advised people to follow simple rules to combat the temptations of social media. For instance, keeping phones as far away from the bedroom as possible at night, limiting irritants, and creating a comfortable and calming sleep environment.
Additionally, Professor Shahbakhsh suggested that with the rapid advancement of technology, particularly artificial intelligence and virtual reality, along with the growing dependency on these technologies, people will increasingly experience dreams featuring technological content.