How to stay sane when your timeline isn’t

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There are days when hot topics, disturbing topics, trending topics, and breaking news start flooding your algorithm. Sometimes this news can affect you emotionally and weigh on your mental health.

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Your feed can start to get a little overwhelming with all this news, thoughts, and opinions.

Here are a few tips to help you stay sane when your algorithm is starting to overwhelm you.

1. Curate your feed

It’s important to stay informed, especially during a breaking news cycle. However, having the luxury of immediately accessing updates on a story can be addictive and affect your mood or emotions, depending on the story. Being exposed to everyone’s thoughts, opinions, theories, assumptions, and anecdotes can start affecting you.

According to the University of Utah, your social media feed is supposed to ‘serve you, not stress you,’ and they suggest that you do a monthly clean-up. Unfollow accounts that don’t add value to your life. If unfollowing feels awkward, mute their content instead to reduce noise.

2. Take a break

Maryland Primary Care Physicians suggests that taking a break can lead to significant improvements in well-being, depression and anxiety. According to their research, it only takes a couple of days off to see significant improvement.

There’s no need to go cold turkey. Cutting back on one social media platform at a time is deemed helpful.

3. Practice mindfulness while scrolling

The wellness portal Calm suggests being aware of how certain content makes you feel. If you feel anxious, stressed, or unhappy consistently after engaging with certain content, consider why and how you can change your interaction with it.

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4. Charge your phone in the other room

This is widely suggested for when you sleep. Avoid doomscrolling at night to avoid insomnia related to social media use and inducing anxiety within yourself at a time meant for relaxation.

Calm suggests reading a book, meditating, or listening to calming music instead of scrolling through social media before bed.

5. Meditate

Meditation when feeling overwhelmed by your social media feed can help reduce the negative effects, reduce stress, and restore inner peace. Grounding practices are known for their restorative capabilities. Calm lists a few meditation types to help reduce overwhelm:

• Short meditation sessions
• Guided meditations
• Breathing exercises

Should you be feeling any overwhelming emotions of anxiety, depression, or ideation, refer to a trusted medical professional for assistance.

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