In our fast-paced, stressful lives, we’re often seeking refuge online to find instant relaxation. Many of us turn to scrolling social media, online shopping (often referred to as retail therapy), or gaming to escape daily pressures. However, the experience can often be the opposite, leaving us more drained or restless after logging off.
This begs the question: do we scroll because we’re stressed, or are we stressed because we scroll?
By collecting data from over 1,500 participants over seven months through a tracking program, data scientists from Finland’s Aalto University are offering new insights.
“Previous studies have shown that social media and online shopping are often used to relieve stress,” said lead study author Mohammed Belal, a researcher at the Department of Computer Science at Aalto University, in a press statement.
“However, our results show that a rise in social media use or online shopping is linked to an increase in self-reported stress across multiple user groups and across devices.”
Read more: Is a Shopping Addiction Real?
Understanding the Internet’s Impact on Our Well-Being
As online presence becomes a larger part of everyday life, determining its overall impact on well-being is increasingly difficult. Research still lacks definitive answers, particularly around how specific online behaviors influence stress levels, Belal explained.
Social media engagement, in particular, is under intense scrutiny. Concerns have recently contributed to landmark legislation, such as Australia’s ban on social media for anyone under 16, with the potential for other legislators to follow suit.
To better understand the nuances of stress and internet use, Belal’s team conducted one of the first studies to record real-world internet usage through tracking software installed on participants’ devices. Combined with a large sample size and a lengthy observation period, the findings offer especially valuable insight into how online habits intersect with stress.
Online Shopping More Stressful Than Checking the News
The study, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, collected internet usage data from around 1,500 adults over a seven-month period, comprising nearly 47 million web visits and 14 million app sessions.
When compared with participants’ self-reported stress levels from questionnaires, researchers found a strong link between internet use and increased stress, particularly among those who already experienced daily stress. Women consistently reported higher stress levels than men, while stress tended to decrease with age and wealth.
Not all online activities were equal, though. The study found that extended time spent on social media, online shopping, and gaming platforms was associated with higher stress levels compared to activities like checking emails or reading the news.
“Somewhat surprisingly, people who spent a lot of time on news sites reported less stress than others,” said Belal. “On the other hand, those who already experienced a lot of stress didn’t spend much time on news sites –– and that’s consistent with previous research that shows that stress can reduce news consumption.”
Stress Research Continues
The researchers hope that by gathering more detailed information about people’s internet habits, they can eventually develop concrete recommendations and tools that support healthier, more regulated online engagement.
Juhi Kulshrestha, assistant professor at the Department of Computer Science, cautions against oversimplified solutions. She believes that blanket bans on internet use may overlook the emotional support certain online spaces provide.
“Are people more stressed because they are spending more time online shopping or on social media, or are such sites offering them an important support in times of duress?” added Kulshrestha in the release. “It’s really crucial that we study these issues further so we can solve that chicken and egg problem.”
Building on their current findings, the research team plans to explore how different types of news (political, entertainment, or sports coverage) affect stress and other well-being measures, helping further clarify the internet’s complex role in mental health.
Read more: Escaping The Doomscroll: How Social Media Could Work With Us, Not Against Us
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