Reducing Social Media Use for Just a Week Can Improve Mental Health

Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health

Briana Mercola

Health & Fitness, Alternative Health

4.6 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 1 January 2026

⏱️ 7 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

A new JAMA Network Open study found that cutting down social media use to roughly 30 minutes per day had measurable effects on mental health, reducing anxiety by about 16%, depression by about 25%, and insomnia symptoms by 15%
Loneliness scores did not change much, which shows that social media can be a lifeline for connection as well as a source of stress
Earlier randomized trials from the University of Bath and others also found that a one-week break from platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook improved wellbeing, depression, and anxiety
A short reset is not a cure for depression or anxiety, and does not replace therapy, medication, or crisis care. Still, it can be a realistic experiment that helps you see how specific apps affect your mood, sleep, and focus
If you already struggle with your mental health, or if you rely on online communities for support, it makes sense to plan your week carefully and to talk with a trusted health professional about how this kind of experiment fits into your overall care

Transcript

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0:00.0	What would change in your mood, sleep, and focus if you cut your social feeds to 30 minutes a day for just one week.
0:07.6	Welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom. Stay informed with quick, easy-to-listen summaries of our latest articles, perfect for when you're on the go. No reading required.
0:16.9	Subscribe for free at Mercola.com for the latest health insights.
0:20.6	Hello, and welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom.
0:24.4	I'm Ethan Foster.
0:26.1	Today we're looking at a simple, time-limited experiment with surprisingly strong results,
0:32.0	a one-week reduction in social media use and how that affects anxiety, depression,
0:37.3	insomnia, and loneliness.
0:39.3	I'll walk you through what researchers actually measured and why the gains likely come from
0:43.3	the kind of scrolling you remove, not just the minutes you shave off.
0:47.3	I'm a Lara Sky. You're going to hear clear numbers from recent studies, including a cohort
0:52.3	tracked with real phone data and daily mental health check-ins.
0:57.0	You'll also hear practical options for a seven-day reset, from full abstinence to strict limits, or a platform-specific break.
1:04.9	Keep in mind, a short reset isn't a replacement for therapy or medication if you need them,
1:10.0	but it can help you see which habits
1:11.6	are driving symptoms.
1:13.6	In the JAMA Network Open cohort, 373 young adults, ages 18 to 24, went through two weeks
1:20.6	of normal use and then an optional one-week detox. Their phones recorded actual time
1:26.6	on TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, X, and Facebook,
1:30.3	and they completed daily assessments for depression, anxiety, and insomnia. About 80% opted in.
1:37.3	During the week, average social media time fell from roughly 1.9 hours to about 30 minutes per day, and symptoms improve measurably.
1:46.0	Across the group, depression scores dropped about 25%, anxiety about 16%, and insomnia symptoms about 15%.
	...

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