A new study discovered what many of us already know: spending some time away from Facebook can help lower your stress level.
Researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia recently found that taking a break from Facebook can lower the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in a person’s body, even if that “break” isn’t permanent.
The study was recently published in The Journal of Social Psychology. While the study itself focused on Facebook, researchers think that eliminating any social media site from your life could potentially have the same effect, Newsweek reports.
The study required its 138 participants to give up Facebook for 5 days. While their stress levels went down, participants also reported having a lower level of “well-being,” something researchers attributed to FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). When participants were unable to use the platform to connect with friends, they often felt isolated and disconnected.
The University plans to attempt the study again, except this time with a longer time frame. The next version might ask participants to give up the social network for at least a month.