Doomscrolling makes you 12 times more likely to suffer serious mental health issues

We knew it was bad, but not this bad

While we’ve been told for years that phone use is directly linked to our mental health, new research has revealed just how detrimental our nightly doom scrolls can be.

While the plan is always to just wind down for bed with five minutes on TikTok, it’s common for many of us to look up at the clock after watching what feels like two videos to see that several hours have passed. A stressed countdown of how many hours of sleep we’ll be able to squeeze in before our morning alarm follows. 

The habit is a permanent part of many of our nighttime routines, no matter how sleepy or self-disciplined we try to be, but according to a new study, we don’t need to be spending ages jumping between the apps for it to have a detrimental impact on our brains.

The research team from Norway found that just one hour of extra screen time in bed can increase the risk of insomnia and poor sleep by 59 per cent.

Sleep is directly linked to our mental health. As per Beyond Blue, it plays a role in our mood and how we manage stress. 

Not only can a lack of sleep negatively impact our mental health, what we do before going to sleep also matters.

While our nightly scroll is intended to calm our minds, distract us and make us laugh, apart from training the algorithm, we don’t really have a say in which video will pop up on our screens next. Image: Pexels

It’s hard to escape bad news

While our nightly scroll is intended to calm our minds, distract us and make us laugh, apart from training the algorithm, we don’t really have a say in which video will pop up on our screens next.

New data shows that Australians who doomscroll are 12 times more likely to suffer from serious mental health issues and 10 times more likely to report physical symptoms, including fatigue, headaches and tension.

We passively absorb bad news, often without even realising the amount of distressing, stress-inducing content we’ve viewed in a short period. 

While awareness of current events is important, consuming high levels of negative content can negatively shape our worldview and plague our mental health. 

Doomscrolling activates the brain’s stress response. Image: Pexels

“Doomscrolling activates the brain’s stress response, keeping the nervous system in a constant state of hypervigilance,” said Someone.health CEO, Sarah Richardson.

“People often doomscroll in an attempt to feel more informed and in control, but it can have the opposite effect—trapping them in a cycle that exacerbates stress and anxiety”.

From war and threats on human rights to influencers fighting, it’s hard to avoid negative stories, but they’re not exactly the last thing you want to see before falling asleep.

It’s not just our mental health that’s at risk as we doomscroll; our physical health can also be negatively affected. Image: Pexels

The physical effects of doomscrolling

It’s not just our mental health that’s at risk as we doomscroll; our physical health can also be negatively affected.

Exposure to distressing content can elevate our stress hormones, including cortisol and adrenaline. This can cause fatigue, muscle tension and headaches. 

Extending that nightly scroll by hours can also overstimulate our brains, disrupting our sleep so we can’t get the full restorative benefits of a good night’s rest.

Richardson emphasised the importance of setting boundaries to ensure our nightly habit doesn’t interfere with our wellbeing in the long term. Image: Canva

Protecting our mental health as we scroll

Richardson emphasised the importance of setting boundaries to ensure our nightly habit doesn’t interfere with our wellbeing in the long term. 

Unsure where to start to limit the harm of excess screentime? She recommends: 

#1. Setting time limits on social media

You can set app limits in your phone settings or even download apps such as Forest or One Sec to help you disconnect for a while.

It can be as easy as a quick workout or walk, meditation, or just consciously disconnecting.

#2. Curating feeds to prioritise credible and positive sources

It’s important to stay up to date with what’s going on in the world, but bedtime may not be the best time, and your brain does need some reprieve.

Accounts such as Global Positive News exclusively publish positive, feel-good news stories and provide a nice break from stress-inducing news stories on your feed. 

#3. Trying grounding activities

It can be as easy as a quick workout or walk, meditation, or just consciously disconnecting.

“These small yet impactful changes create a healthier digital environment, reducing exposure to harmful content and fostering a more mindful approach to online engagement,” Richardson said. “By making small but meaningful changes to our digital consumption habits, we can protect our mental health and regain a sense of balance”.

“Doomscrolling doesn’t have to be an unavoidable part of modern life—awareness and proactive steps can break the cycle before it takes a lasting toll.”

Originally published as Doomscrolling makes you 12 times more likely to suffer serious mental health issues