A new study by researchers at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom has revealed that using social media late at night—particularly posting—can negatively affect mental health.
The findings show that people who are active on social media between midnight and 5 a.m. are more likely to experience issues such as depression and anxiety compared to those who do not use these platforms during those hours.
The researchers didn’t just look at how often people use social media, but also when they use it. They analyzed the behavior of users posting on X (formerly Twitter) at night and linked that data to information from the long-term health study known as “Children of the 90s,” which follows people from Western England.
A total of 310 participants were selected based on their X activity patterns and their responses to mental health questionnaires.
The study analyzed 18,288 posts written between January 2008 and February 2023 and found a 2% correlation between late-night posting and poor mental health outcomes.
Although the link between nighttime social media use and mental health issues wasn’t extremely strong, researchers noted that it can disrupt sleep patterns and interfere with the production of melatonin, the hormone responsible for regulating sleep.
Daniel Joinson, one of the lead researchers, said that the effects of social media largely depend on individual behavior. He added that studies like this could help design strategies to prevent mental health risks linked to social media use.
He also pointed out that some people may be more vulnerable than others depending on their personality, the type of content they post, and their reasons for using social media.
Currently, over five billion people worldwide use social media, with Asia—especially China—accounting for the largest share of active users.
