Various Perspectives

1.  A User's Perspective (Maika)
2.  A Physician's Perspective (Maika)
3.  A School Counselor’s Perspective (Mao)
4.  A Minority Person's Perspective (Mao)

 A User's Perspective

Introduction

    In today’s society, I find that social networking services (SNS) have become an indispensable part of my daily life. While they are incredibly useful for staying connected with friends, gathering information, and expressing myself, I often find myself becoming overly dependent on them. This state of "social media addiction" has a serious impact on my sleep.

Why We Can’t Stop Using SNS

   I find that SNS platforms are designed to be accessible anytime, anywhere, constantly delivering new posts and notifications. Especially at night, I often pick up my phone with the intention of "just checking for a moment," only to find myself scrolling for thirty minutes or even over an hour. I think this happens because my brain is seeking the next rewarding or interesting post—an effect driven by dopamine.

The Impact on Sleep

   From my standpoint as a user, I experience several specific changes:

• Delayed bedtime: Browsing social media pushes back my intended sleep time, reducing my total sleep duration.

• Lower sleep quality: The blue light emitted from screens suppresses my melatonin production, leading to lighter, less restful sleep.

• Night-time awakenings: Notifications during the night may wake me, prompting me to reopen SNS and further disrupt my sleep cycle.

    These effects can result in reduced concentration the next day, chronic fatigue, and even a decline in my mental health.

User Struggles and Coping Attempts

    I often feel conflicted, thinking, “I want to stop, but I can’t,” or “Browsing SNS at night is my only time to relax.” I’m constantly balancing the convenience of social media with the health risks it poses, realizing how hard it is to manage my own usage. Recently, I have started using tools like screen time limits, night mode settings, or disabling notifications. However, even these measures often fall short of truly disconnecting me from SNS.

References

• Scott, H., Biello, S. M., & Woods, H. C. (2019).
   Social media use and adolescent sleep patterns: Cross-sectional findings from the UK Millennium Cohort Study. BMJ Open.
  Social media use and adolescent sleep patterns: cross-sectional findings from the UK millennium cohort study - PubMed

• Keles, B., McCrae, N., & Grealish, A. (2020). 
  A systematic review: The influence of social media on depression, anxiety and psychological distress in adolescents. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth.
  A systematic review: The influence of social media on depression, anxiety and psychological distress in adolescents.

• Demirci, K., Akgönül, M., & Akpinar, A. (2015).
   Relationship of smartphone use severity with sleep quality, depression, and anxiety in university students. Journal of Behavioral Addictions.
  Relationship of smartphone use severity with sleep quality, depression, and anxiety in university students - PubMed

(Maika)

A Physician's Perspective

[The following account is fictional, but it is based on a collage of factual information.]

    My name is Dr. Keiko Tanaka. I am a psychiatrist working in the Department of Psychiatry at a large hospital in Osaka, where I have been treating patients with various sleep disorders for over five years. In my daily practice, I often see the negative effects of excessive social media use on my patients’ sleep quality and overall health. Many young people come to me complaining about difficulty falling asleep or feeling tired during the day, and a common factor is their heavy use of smartphones and social media late at night. As a physician, I am concerned about how widespread this issue has become and the long-term consequences it may have on mental and physical health.

Introduction

    As a physician, I’ve seen firsthand how deeply social networking services (SNS) affect people’s daily lives. They’re useful for communication and expression, but I’ve also observed that many patients—especially adolescents and young adults—struggle with what is commonly referred to as “SNS addiction.” Personally, I find the effects on sleep to be especially concerning. In this post, I’d like to reflect on how SNS addiction can impair sleep and lead to broader health problems, drawing from both my clinical experience and research findings.

How SNS Addiction Impairs Sleep

1. Increased Screen Time and Difficulty Falling Asleep

    In my own consultations, I’ve noticed that many patients use their phones, mostly, to watch SNS late into the night. Of course, I don’t mean to say that using social media at night is bad. However, what I want to tell you is that using electronic devices for long periods at night—meaning being exposed to blue light—can negatively affect you. Blue wavelengths are said to enhance alertness, reaction time, and mood during the day, but at night, they also play a role in disturbing your sleep. The blue light emitted by smartphones and other devices suppresses melatonin, the hormone responsible for inducing sleep, thereby delaying the onset of sleep.

(Harvard Health Publishing, 2020)

2. Sustained Mental Arousal

    Using social media gives more mental stimulation than just looking at a screen. Especially when used right before bed, it often increases feelings of anxiety and tension, which keeps the mind in a state of alertness. This sustained mental arousal makes it harder to relax and fall asleep, and it can lower the quality of your sleep.
(Levenson et al., 2017)

3. Anxiety and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)

    Many people, especially college students, often feel anxious because of FOMO, or the fear of missing out. This feeling makes them want to constantly check social media to stay updated on what others are doing. However, this constant checking can increase anxiety rather than relieve it. Research shows that people with higher FOMO tend to feel more stress and have lower life satisfaction. It’s like a cycle: the more you worry about missing out, the more you use social media, and the more anxious you feel. Understanding this connection is important for managing both our social media use and mental health.
(Twenge et al., 2017)

Medical Risks of Chronic Sleep Deprivation

• Immune dysfunction, metabolic disturbances, weight gain, and increased risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease

• Worsening of mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and ADHD

• Impaired development in adolescents, particularly in terms of emotional regulation and executive functioning

Physician Recommendations

• Implement a “digital cutoff time”
  → Avoid all digital devices for at least one hour before bedtime.

• Use app-based monitoring tools
  → Track and limit screen time using features like Screen Time or Digital Wellbeing.

• Seek mental health support when needed 
  → In severe cases of SNS addiction, referral to mental health professionals is recommended.

• Parental and educational involvement
  →In several cases of SNS addiction, referral to mental health professionals is recommended.

Scientific References

• Levenson JC, Shensa A, Sidani JE, Colditz JB, Primack BA. (2017). Social Media Use Before Bed and Sleep Disturbance Among Young Adults in the United States. Sleep Health, 3(1), 36–41.
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2016.11.005
  

• Twenge JM, Joiner TE, Rogers ML, Martin GN. (2017). Increases in Depressive Symptoms, Suicide-Related Outcomes, and Suicide Rates Among U.S. Adolescents After 2010 and Links to Increased New Media Screen Time. Clinical Psychological Science, 6(1), 3–17.
  https://doi.org/10.1177/2167702617723376
  

• Harvard Health Publishing. (2020). Blue light has a dark side.
  https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side

• Keles B, McCrae N, Grealish A. (2020). A systematic review: the influence of social media on depression, anxiety and psychological distress in adolescents. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 25(1), 79–93. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2019.1590851

Conclusion

    From a physician’s perspectives, SNS overuse is not merely a lifestyle issue—it is a genuine health risk. Its adverse effects on sleep are especially noteworthy. Since sleep is essential for both mental and physical well-being, rethinking the way we engage with SNS is crucial. Proper education, digital hygiene, and medical intervention where necessary can help mitigate the risks and improve public health outcomes.

(Maika)

A School Counselor’s Perspective

  

   [The following are profiles of people who have unique perspectives on the issue of social media addiction. These individuals are fictional, but their accounts are based on a collage of factual information.]

    My name is Chihiro Takeda, and I work as a school counselor at a public high school in Kanagawa Prefecture. Every day, I meet with students who are facing not only academic challenges but also emotional and mental health issues. In the past few years, I have noticed a clear increase in the number of students struggling with sleep problems and chronic fatigue. When I ask them about their daily routines, one common answer stands out: they stay up late using their smartphones, especially for social media.

Most of them use apps like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. They tell me things like, “I just wanted to watch one video,” or “I meant to check just one message.” But in the end, they spend one or two hours, sometimes even more, scrolling. Some students say they can’t fall asleep unless they use their phone first. Others feel stressed if they don’t check their messages before bed. While social media gives students a way to connect with friends and escape daily stress, it also interferes with healthy habits, especially sleep.

Recent research from Japan supports what I see in my work. A study published in the Japanese Journal of School Health found that internet addiction in junior and senior high school students is linked to many negative psychological and social outcomes. For example, students with higher internet addiction scores had more difficulty controlling their emotions, were less likely to feel they could talk openly with their parents or friends, and had more trouble expressing their feelings. They were also more likely to feel lonely, have stronger aggressive impulses, and show weaker respect for social rules. You can read about it yourself in the following article: Tobe, H., Takeuchi, K., & Hotta, M. (2010). "The relationship between the tendency toward internet dependence and mental health and the psycho-social problems of students." Japanese Journal of School Health, 52(2), 125–135.

Interestingly, the same study showed that internet use time alone was not directly related to mental health problems. In other words, the problem is not simply “using the internet too long.” The real issue is the level of dependence, or addiction, to online activities. This means that even short use can be harmful if it’s driven by emotional needs or escape.

As a counselor, this research is very meaningful to me. It shows that we cannot solve this problem just by telling students to “use their phones less.” Instead, we need to support them in understanding their emotional needs, their habits, and the reasons why they go online. I often include simple social-emotional learning (SEL) activities in my sessions—like emotion naming, mindfulness, and making small behavior goals. These help students become more aware of their feelings and choices. You can read more about effective SEL activities in the following article: Minero, E. (2017, February 14). "13 powerful SEL activities: Build social and emotional skills into any class." Edutopia.

I believe that compassionate, respectful guidance is the most effective approach. By working together, we can help students create healthier relationships with technology, protect their sleep, and improve their well-being—not through fear or punishment, but through understanding and education.

(Mao)

A Minority Person's Perspective

      [The following are profiles of people who have unique perspectives on social media. These individuals are fictional, but their accounts are based on a collage of factual information.]

    My name is Sarah, and I’m a 17-year-old lesbian high school student living in a small rural town in the U.S. I have not come out to my family or friends because I’m afraid of how they might react. Growing up here, I’ve always felt the pressure to fit into what everyone expects to be “normal,” which means being straight. At school, whenever friends ask me if I have a crush on a boy, I just laugh nervously and change the subject. I can’t tell them the truth because I’m scared of how they might react. Sometimes, I feel guilty for lying to my friends, but it feels safer that way.

    The truth is, I like a girl in my class. She’s kind and funny, and I find myself thinking about her all the time. But she seems to like boys, and because I like someone of the same sex, I have no one I can talk to about my feelings. This makes me feel lonely and isolated. Because I live in such a small town, rumors spread fast, and I’m terrified that if anyone finds out, things will change — not in a good way. So I keep my feelings to myself, which can make me feel really lonely and confused.

    There are nights when my thoughts are so overwhelming that I can’t sleep. I just scroll through social media, hoping to find something or someone that understands what I’m going through. One day, I found an online community for LGBTQ youth. It was the first place where I felt I could be completely myself without fear of judgment. I started talking to people who had similar experiences, sharing my feelings for the first time with someone who truly understood.

    Being part of that community has been life-changing. It’s given me hope and strength I didn’t have before. I realized I’m not alone. There are others like me, facing the same struggles. Even though I haven’t told my family or friends about my sexuality yet, I feel more confident that someday I will. The courage I’ve gained comes from the support I found online.

    Social media, which sometimes makes people worry, has actually been my safe space — my refuge in a place where I couldn’t openly be myself. It helps me cope with the loneliness and gives me a sense of belonging I never had before. That’s why, even though I know it can be addictive, I’m grateful for what social media has given me.

References

・Bacaj, C., Wang, K., Zhang, A., et al. (2024). Review of current trends in LGBTQ+ youth and social media: Implications for mental health, identity development, and civic engagement. Current Pediatrics Reports, 13(3). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40124-024-00338-2

・Berger, M. N., Taba, M., Marino, J. L., Lim, M. S. C., & Skinner, S. R. (2022). Social media use and health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth: Systematic review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 24(9), e38449. https://doi.org/10.2196/38449

(Mao)