A recent study published in BMC Psychology has uncovered a startling connection between social media usage and the frequency of distressing nightmares. The study introduces a new concept: social media-related nightmares, defined as nightmares that revolve around social media themes like cyberbullying, online hate, and excessive social media use.
The rise of social media has been meteoric, with millions of users worldwide engaging daily. This surge has sparked interest in how social media affects various aspects of life, including sleep and dreams. Past research has shown that daytime experiences often influence nighttime dreams, a theory known as the Continuity Hypothesis of Dreaming. While some studies have explored the general impact of media on dreams, few have examined the specific effects of social media on nightmares.
In their new study, the researchers surveyed 595 adult social media users in Iran, chosen based on their use of at least one social media platform for a minimum of 15 minutes per day over the past month. Most participants reported using Instagram, followed by Twitter and Facebook.
To measure social media-related nightmares, the researchers created the Social Media Nightmare-Related Scale, which included items assessing the frequency of nightmares related to social media themes such as cyberbullying, online hate, and excessive social media use. Participants rated how often they experienced these nightmares on a scale from 0 (never) to 7 (several times a week).
The Social Media Use Integration Scale was used to gauge the extent to which social media is woven into participants’ daily lives. This scale included items like “I prefer to communicate with others mainly through social media platforms” and “Using social media is part of my everyday routine,” rated on a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 6 (strongly agree).
To assess anxiety levels, researchers used the Anxiety Subscale of the Brief Symptom Inventory, where participants rated how much they were bothered by symptoms like nervousness or shakiness in the past week on a scale from 0 (not at all) to 4 (extremely). The Peace of Mind Scale evaluated participants’ overall mental peace with items like “My mind is free and at ease,” rated from 1 (not at all) to 5 (all of the time).
Sleep quality was measured using the Single-Item Sleep Quality Scale, where participants rated their sleep quality over the past week on a scale from 0 (terrible) to 10 (excellent). Lastly, the Nightmare Distress Questionnaire assessed the distress caused by nightmares and their impact on daily life with items rated on various Likert-type scales.
The study revealed that social media-related nightmares were not very common, but they were reported more frequently by individuals who integrated social media deeply into their daily lives. The most commonly reported nightmare involved being unable to log into social media, followed by disruptions in relationships with other users. Less common nightmares included being sexually harassed or having one’s identity stolen online.
“As social media becomes increasingly intertwined with our lives, its impact extends beyond waking hours, and may influence our dreams,” said study author Reza Shabahang of Flinders University.
Social media-related nightmares were significantly associated with higher levels of anxiety, lower peace of mind, and poorer sleep quality. Participants who experienced these nightmares reported significant distress, and their sleep was often disrupted.
The study found that social media-related nightmares partially mediated the relationship between social media use and anxiety and fully mediated the relationship between social media use and both peace of mind and sleep quality. This suggests that nightmares are a key pathway through which social media affects mental health and sleep.
“Whilst social media-related nightmares are relatively rare, those who use social media more during their daily lives are more likely to have social media-related nightmares that are associated with negative mental health outcomes, such as anxiety, depression, and sleep quality,” Shabahang said. “This study provides insights into the complex relationships between social media use, mental health, and sleep quality.”
He cautions that as technology continues to advance, it is essential to conduct further research to understand how social media impacts users’ dreaming experiences.
“With the rapid advances in technology and media, including artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality, along with the increasing dependency on these technologies and deeper integration, it is anticipated that dreams featuring technological and media content will become more frequent,” Shabahang said.
“Future studies have the potential to expand the scope of this exploration, delving into areas such as nightmares related to the perceived dangers of AI. To mitigate the occurrence of social media-related nightmares we recommend adopting a responsible and mindful use of social media.”
The study, “Social media-related nightmare — a potential explanation for poor sleep quality and low affective well-being in the social media era?,” was authored by Reza Shabahang, Sohee Kim, Mara S. Aruguete, Pegah Azadimanesh, Zahra Ghaemi, Abbas Ali Hossein Khanzadeh, Keivan Kakabaraee, and Ágnes Zsila.