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Scrolling through posts or videos on social media doesn’t just tire your eyes, a neuroscientist explains how scrolling damages your brain in an Instagram post.
87% of the French population has a smartphone and 63% think it makes their life easier, according to Arcep’s 2024 barometer (electronic communications, messaging and media distribution regulator). , clicking or swiping just doesn’t tire the eyes.In an Instagram post on December 29, known by the nickname “doctor.bing”. neuroscientist details the harmful effects of gesture on the brain.
Reduced concentration
Tossing and turning all day “disrupts the chemicals that control concentration and mood,” says the neuroscientist. The culprit is dopamine, the feel-good hormone that’s released in small amounts every time we gesture with our phone. “A constant stream of notifications or videos repeatedly floods the brain with dopamine and makes it hungry for quick and easy rewards,” the neuroscientist continues.Over time, it becomes harder to focus on slower, more demanding tasks like reading or solving problems because they do not provide the same immediate satisfaction.
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Social networks also disrupt the secretion of oxytocin, which is commonly called the “bonding hormone.” The neuroscientist emphasizes this: the increasing place of social networks in everyday life, the decrease of physical interactions. However, we know how much contact with others significantly improves the level of this hormone. “Scrolling through photos of other people’s perfect lives can make you feel anxious, lonely or inadequate,” says the neuroscientist. The more time you spend comparing online, the less good you’ll feel.
“Real” life is less satisfying
Finally, excessive screen use overstimulates the brain, leading to mental fatigue. “Studies have shown that excess dopamine from screens can make life experiences, such as spending time with friends, less fulfilling, leaving you anxious and emotionally drained.” says Dr. Bing.
To avoid these harmful effects and maintain good brain health, the neurologist certainly recommends taking time to switch off. It is enough to take a break and fully enjoy the present moment.
Source: Le Figaro
