Doomscrolling? Cardiologist Dr. Deepak Krishnamurthy warns against the dangers of watching reels or short video clips on TikTok, Instagram (IG), and other social media platforms after a recent study showed that this can increase blood pressure in teens as well as middle-aged adults.
Dr. Krishnamurthy’s warning comes after the publication of a recent study involving 4,300+ young and middle-aged Chinese adults in the BMC Public Health journal. The study found a significant correlation between watching short-form videos late at night, including those on Instagram Reels and TikTok, and elevated blood pressure levels.
The study was done by a team of researchers from Hebei Medical University: Fengde Li, Fangfang Ma, Shangyu Liu, Le Wang, Lishuang Ji, Mingqi Zheng, and Gang Liu.
The team explained that late-night viewing of short videos differs from traditional screen time, such as watching TV, because the former involves less movement. They theorized that the lack of physical activity could lead to a more sedentary lifestyle for those who do this regularly. So, they also hypothesized that the activity can increase the risks of high blood pressure.
Study participants underwent medical examinations after the self-reported screen time of watching short videos or reels late at night.
The results showed that there was a significant increase in the blood pressure of the subjects who spent more time watching reels than those who didn’t.
According to the researchers, aside from the lack of physical activity, watching these short videos before bedtime may activate the body’s sympathetic nervous system, causing a “fight or flight” response. This is especially true if the videos showed thrilling or exciting situations that can activate an adrenaline rush or some other heightened physiological response.
So, instead of the body getting ready for sleep and rest, it becomes alert and ready for any action, even if no danger is present.
Because their body stays alert, the person who keeps watching these reels might also find it difficult to sleep.
The lack of proper rest, coupled with reduced physical activity, can increase high blood pressure. Thus, the researchers expressed alarm because this activity is common to teens, which could lead to poor health even at a young age.
Study Recommendations
Knowing the risks associated with watching reels or short videos before bedtime, the researchers recommend limiting screen time, especially before going to sleep. They believe that this can help reduce the prevalence of hypertension and might even help teens improve their sleep and overall health.
Aside from limiting screen time, the researchers also recommend adopting a healthy lifestyle by participating in physical activities regularly, eating healthy foods, and also appropriate stress management.
All these healthy choices can help reduce the risks of hypertension.
— Joy Adalia, The Summit Express
