In the least surprising news of the day, academics have found that too much time on Facebook is bad for your mental health.
Those (and we've all been there) who find themselves in a black hole of Facebook lurking, looking at the festive activities of others, will end up feeling depressed. The BBC reports that a University of Copenhagen study concluded that excessive Facebook or social-media usage "can negatively affect your emotional wellbeing and satisfaction with life".
The researchers added that it provokes jealousy and inadequacy due to "unrealistic social comparisons". They recommended taking a social-media break over Christmas to avoid a "deterioration of mood".
The data suggested that if you can't resist checking into social media, then do so actively i.e. engage and connect with other users, rather than using the platforms in a voyeuristic, passive way. Such behavior apparently leads to a more overall positive experience.
The study was carried out on 1,300 people, largely women, and was published in the journal of Cyberpsychology, Behaviour and Social Networking.