SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

Depending on how we use it, social media has different effects on the nervous system. Our nervous system struggles to tell the difference between offline and online social interaction.

When we use our phone or computer, we’re inviting the external world into our home or workspace, and this can impact our nervous system for two key reasons:

The first is emotional contagion: the nervous system's automatic absorption of other people's current state.

And the second is neuroception: the autonomic process that keeps us safe by immediately recognizing danger.

We want to become consciously aware of how we feel when we are interacting online and look out for feelings of anxiety, fear, shutdown, anger, worry and doubt.

If you experience any of these emotions, try to spend some time consuming less negative social media or news and see how your nervous system responds. There are many apps that can limit screen time, and you can also temporarily delete the apps from your phone to create the necessary space. It's also recommended to leave your phone outside the bedroom at night so that it doesn't disrupt proper sleep.

By becoming more aware of our social media consumption, we can handle one of the nervous system's biggest stressors in today’s busy world, and take an immediate and noticeable step towards greater balance and inner peace.