Health and Social Media: 7 Questions To Get You Thinking

Health and social media might not be things that you immediately put together, but they actually go hand in hand these days. Some people are inspired to take care of their health better because of social media, while others may begin neglecting their health because of it. 

Here, you’ll find 7 questions you should ask yourself to make sure you’re using social media in a way that’s best for your health, as well as some quick tips. Take a look!

1. Are You Following Accounts That Make You Feel Positive and Confident?
Take a look at the accounts you follow. How many of them make you feel positive, confident, and like you’re great as you are? There’s nothing wrong with going to the gym and eating nutrient dense food, of course not, but if you feel under pressure to behave or eat a certain way because of accounts you’re following, you should probably unfollow.
There are all kinds of accounts on social media. Some following various diets and ways of eating and encouraging others to do the same, and others that encourage self love before worrying about anything else. It would be a good idea to focus on the latter so that you don’t find yourself constantly comparing yourself to other Instagrammers.
It all boils down to whether you feel positive or negative when looking at a page. If you feel bad, unfollow.
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2. Are You Taking Care Of Both Your Physical And Mental Health?
Taking care of both your physical and mental health is a must, so make sure you’re following pages that offer advice on both. Follow healthy health and fitness pages, and follow mental health pages. Don’t neglect one or the other.
It’s also important to note that when not used correctly, social media can have a negative impact on mental health. If you feel this is happening to you, it could be a good idea to take a break.

3. Are You Working Out For The Right Reasons?
Working out is a great way to let off steam, improve your mental health, take care of your physical health - it has amazing benefits and should be incorporated into every routine in one way or another, whether it’s swimming, walking, or weight lifting. However, you should be working out for the right reasons. If you’re working out because you see Instagram models doing it, but you don’t enjoy it, you should rethink.
If you’re not doing something for you and you alone, then it won’t last. Doing it for positive reasons, such as wanting to take care of your body, rather than because you don’t like what you see in the mirror is a must, too.

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4. Would You Feel Better If You Spent Less Time Using Social Media?
Think of how much time you spend scrolling on social media. We all probably spend more time than we should on there, but if we can stay a little mindful, we can spend our time in more useful ways. Time spent on social media could be spent meditating, working out, reading, writing, painting, and doing other cool things. Your phone can actually give you notifications on how you use it now, telling you how long you spend on certain apps. Pay attention to this and see if you can cut back.

5. Are You Using Your Own Social Channels For Good?
How are you using your own social channels? Be mindful of who might be reading your posts. If you post a picture of yourself looking beautiful and call yourself chubby, others could be looking at this and comparing themselves to you. The way you talk about yourself can have a big impact on others; you definitely don’t just need to be talking about them.

6. Are You Being Drawn Into Fads And Things That Don’t Really Work?
Social media is a minefield for getting drawn into fads and things that don’t really work. Waist trainers, detox tea, appetite suppressant lollipops - the lot! If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. It doesn’t matter who is plugging it, even if it’s your favourite reality TV star. They’ve been paid a lot of money to promote it, and to be honest, they really don’t care whether they work or not. Many of these products can even be damaging. The only things you can really rely on if you want to getting fitter and healthier is nutrient dense food and a great pair of runners shoes.

7. Do You Believe Every Celebrity You Follow When They Plug Something New?
Following on from the last point - it doesn’t matter whether it’s a character from Geordie Shore or a Kardashian; detox teas and anything else they might be trying to sell you do not work. The marketing teams behind these companies understand that there is money to be made from impressionable young girls who use the platform and follow/admire these celebrities. Question everything you see, do a ton of research, and make your health your number one priority!

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Quick Tips For Making Social Media Work For Your Health
Hopefully you’ve found a few things to think about using the above questions. Below are some quick tips to make social media work for your health:

• Regularly unfollow people, especially if they make you feel bad about yourself or you know they have questionable morals.
• Follow more pages based around mental health, self love, and acceptance of the self.
• Limit yourself to the amount of social media you use every day. Be vigilant and stick to it and you should feel better.
• When scrolling, ask yourself what you’re looking for. Hopefully, it should wake you up enough to help you stop.
• Never compare yourself. People only post their highlights.
• Think before you post and ensure you’re spreading positivity.

Social media is an important part of life these days, and there are lots of benefits to using it. Whenever it feels less than positive to you, take a break. Thanks for reading!

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by Iconic Chica Contributors