How Digital Nutrition Can Improve Mental Health
By Movieguide® Contributor
You may think about your physical and mental health, but have you ever considered your “digital health”? In a world that increasingly centers around the internet and social media, we should carefully consider what kind of content we consume and its effect on us.
Integris Health suggests prioritizing “digital nutrition.”
“Digital nutrition recognizes that not all content is created equal,” Integris said. “Just as we aim for a balanced diet in our nutrition, cultivating a digital diet with a mix of positive, informative and meaningful material is crucial for mental health. It encourages individuals to take control of their online habits, regulating their digital intake much like they would regulate their dietary intake for physical health.”
Some examples of digital consumption include social media, news, online communities and entertainment. Just as a healthy diet should be balanced, healthy “digital nutrition” should be balanced within these categories.
Without proper digital health, “A constant feeding of the brain with negative news can significantly increase the risk of anxiety, fear, stress, and depression. An endless scrolling can also disrupt the sleep cycle and drain out energy. At the physiological level, an endless scrolling is associated with a constant supply of the brain with stress hormones like cortisol. Persistently high levels of stress hormones can exhaust the brain and body, leading to physical and mental health problems,” News Medical reported.
“The potential dangers of indiscriminate content consumption are not reliant simply on the volume or frequency of exposure,” Michael Moskowitz, CEO and founder of AeBeZe Labs, wrote in May 2020. “It is the nature of the materials themselves that matters most. When it comes to mental health, the contents of your content are key.”
So, how can you ensure you’re consuming a balanced digital diet? Integris suggests defining “your digital priorities.”
“Clearly identify your online priorities and values,” the group said. “What kind of content aligns with your interests, goals, and values? Focus on consuming content that enriches your life rather than detracts from it.”
Setting boundaries is another way to develop good digital health.
“Establish clear boundaries for your digital consumption. This may include specific times for checking social media, limiting news updates, and setting daily screen time limits. Setting boundaries helps prevent mindless scrolling and fosters a healthier relationship with digital content,” Integris shared.
Other strategies include diversifying content, cultivating digital mindfulness and evaluating social media use.
A person’s age also determines what content is healthy to consume. Movieguide® previously reported:
The study, however, found positives about social media use as well. The technology can connect people and keep them afloat in difficult situations.
This healthy use of social media was found more commonly in older users, suggesting that the technology does more harm than good under a certain age. However, this depends on various factors, meaning no specific guidance can be given on when social media should be introduced.
