LIFE

Do you ever find yourself feeling anxious or stressed after spending hours on social media? Don't worry you're not alone. Social media is extremely popular and it's presence will only continue to grow. However, it is important to recognize that social media is at the root of a lot anxiety and insecurity you may be experiencing. 

Self-image

Constantly seeing images and videos of others may alter your own self-image. This happens through following celebrities and seeing their lifestyle and wishing we had it, or through seeing stereotypical images of other girls that make us feel bad about our bodies.

Social media portrays people, *especially* girls, in a way that fits into societal norms. But, you need to remember that you are beautiful just the way you are and that social media only shows a glimpse into peoples lives. Everyone is unique and special in their own way and social media makes that easy to forget. Deleting social media for a week or so will allow you to cleanse your mind and be grateful for what you have.

Health

There are *many* benefits to deleting social media. You may not even realize it, but social media affects many aspects of your life. For instance, deleting social media will help you sleep better. Many teens go on their laptop or phone before bed. Not only is looking at a screen bad before sleep, but also the aspects of social media lead to a poor nights sleep.

Going to bed thinking about what you saw makes it more difficult to relax your mind and body. According to Self, screens produce artificial light that negatively affects your body's production of melatonin. Sleep is so essential for overall well being that by deleting your social media apps, you are giving yourself a better night sleep.

Productivity

Another reason why deleting social media is a good idea, is because you will feel more productive. It is easy to spend *hours* on social media and not realize how much time has gone by. But if you no longer have these apps, you have gifted yourself more free time to do other things that make you happy.

Spend quality time with friends and family, go for a hike, do yoga, get creative, journal, design clothes or anything else you want to do. Having time to do things you love will also create a more *healthy* lifestyle. Engaging in real life interactions or trying a new hobby is a much more nourishing way to spend your time than scrolling through social media.

The list goes on and on for reasons why you should delete social media, but at the core is that it is better for your mental health. It lessens the feeling of FOMO, gives you more free time, helps you sleep and more. You can try it out for a couple of days, go on and off for a few weeks or do whatever feels the most beneficial to you. Pay attention to how this cleanse makes you feel, you can even keep track of it in a journal or tell your friends and family about your experience. You might even inspire others to try a cleanse. 

by Lily Baker | 2/9/2021