Is social media giving you nightmares? A new study finds that time online may be linked to poor sleep hygiene

Is social media giving you nightmares? A new study finds that time online may be linked to poor sleep hygiene

Credit: Getty

Strong Women


Is social media giving you nightmares? A new study finds that time online may be linked to poor sleep hygiene

By Meg Walters

9 months ago

4 min read

Scrolling yourself to sleep? A new study has found that it might be leading to bad dreams. So, what’s the link?


A lot of us have bad habits when it comes to social media. Whether you reach for your phone the moment you wake up, spend your commute scrolling through your Twitter feed or can’t fall asleep without watching a dozen TikTok videos, we spend too much time scrolling.

One 2024 study found that social media users spend an average of one hour and 49 minutes each day scrolling through their feeds. Of course, there has already been a lot of research into how this might be negatively impacting our mental health. In fact, one 2023 study found that decreasing social media use by just 15 minutes a day could have a noticeable positive impact on mental health. Other studies have shown all of the various ways that social media use can harm our mental health, from decreased attention spans and eroded self-esteem to productivity guilt and less satisfactory romantic relationships.

While it obviously has its benefits, social media can have negative implications for our mental health. And now a new study has found evidence that it might also be giving us bad dreams. Published in BMC Psychology, the study sought to build upon pre-existing research that examined how social media negatively impacts our sleep patterns and, specifically, how it impacts the type of dreams we have. The researchers found that increased social media usage is linked to a greater frequency of nightmares which, in turn, can lead to anxiety and reduced sleep quality.

So, why might our feeds have this effect? To find out, we’ve spoken to Penny Weston, the founder of 360° wellness centre MADE.

Why social media might be giving you bad dreams 

First off, we know that using social media can disrupt our sleep schedule – and having disrupted sleep patterns can, in turn, lead to more vivid, unpleasant dreams.

Weston says: “Social media can be addictive and, therefore, can lead to people staying awake longer to go through their favourite social media apps or post on their own pages. This can lead to less good-quality sleep and a disrupted sleep schedule.”

Social media can be addictive

Penny Weston

Then there’s the fact that staring at our phones can disrupt our circadian rhythms, leading to a disrupted sleep cycle. “The blue light emitted by your device is thought to restrain the production of melatonin, which is the hormone that controls your circadian rhythm,” she says.

But it’s also about what we’re engaging with on social media. According to Weston, the content we see on social media during the day might be seeping into our dreams and giving us nightmares.

“Social media can be quite a negative space, which can easily leak into people’s lives (and dreams) if you’re not careful, especially if you are consuming social media at night before going to sleep,” she warns.

Finally, there’s the pace of social media. If you tend to flick through posts and videos quickly, constantly stimulating your mind with new content every few seconds, your brain will be wired at a quicker, more frenetic pace which could, in turn, lead to more hectic, feverish dreams.

How to tweak your app habit for better sleep

All of this leads to one logical conclusion – less social media equals better sleep quality (and, potentially, dreams). But this is a lot easier said than done. Many of us need to check in with our social media feeds throughout the day for work or connection, and we get enjoyment from being online. It’d be wrong to say that all social media is negative all the time. But as with everything, moderation is key.

Weston recommends forming healthy habits before bed to avoid the dreaded nighttime scroll session. “Creating a bedtime routine establishes habits that help our brains recognise when it’s time to sleep and it can help keep your mind focused on other tasks and encourage you to relax instead of worrying,” she suggests. “Start with a warm bath or shower and set the same time for bedtime so your body knows it’s time to get ready for sleep.”

Woman in bed on phone

Credit: Getty

Weston is also a fan of a quick nighttime meditation session to help calm the mind and switch off that frenetic “scroll brain”.

“It’s important not to become discouraged when your mind starts to wander. With time and effort, your focus will become stronger,” she tells us. “It’s something you can do virtually anywhere at no cost, and the benefits for your mental wellbeing and overall health are so strong that I highly recommend you try it.”

She suggests breathing in deeply for seven seconds and then exhaling for 11 seconds. Repeat three or four times “to help relax your body and calm your nervous system”.

Finally, and perhaps most obviously, think about keeping your phone somewhere else at night. If you live in a shared house or flat and have to keep your phone in your room, think about investing in an analogue alarm and putting your phone in a drawer. Put it on silent, take off your smartwatch if that receives notifications and enjoy being unplugged.


Images: Getty

Share this article

A weekly dose of expert-backed tips on everything from gut health to running, plus receive our 8-week beginner’s guide to strength training.

By signing up you agree to occasionally receive offers and promotions from Stylist. Newsletters may contain online ads and content funded by carefully selected partners. Don’t worry, we’ll never share or sell your data. You can opt-out at any time. For more information read Stylist’s Privacy Policy

Thank you!

You’re now subscribed to all our newsletters. You can manage your subscriptions at any time from an email or from a MyStylist account.