| DAY 5 OF 10 Clean up your feed The homeschooling mom of five who posts about her family's fun, creative adventures while you struggle to care for one kid. The fashion influencer who looks amazing in every outfit she tries on while you live in ratty old sweats. It's easy to feel like your life isn't enough when your feed is littered with curated posts from seemingly perfect people. Indeed, one study found that people who use Facebook are more prone to "social comparison" and envy. And a 2020 review of studies suggests that social media envy can cause symptoms of anxiety and depression. Social media is a filtered view of reality It's important to remember that a lot of content you see on social media is filtered and edited — it's not real life. And viewing heavily filtered selfies can spark body dissatisfaction, a phenomenon recently termed "Snapchat dysmorphia." The more we peer through the distorted lens of social media, the more we internalize the messages we consume, e.g., what is beautiful or how a person's life should look. This is especially true of children and teenagers who are at a critical phase in their development. Take charge of the information you consume We aren't saying you should ditch every pretty, interesting account you follow. In fact, maybe that #vanlife couple will inspire you to take some much-needed time off work. But there are probably a few accounts in your feed you'd be happier and healthier without. Today's challenge: Review your feeds Next time you're scrolling, use a critical eye to judge the accounts you follow. We recommend unfollowing anyone who makes you feel less than. For the parents out there, we suggest the following tips: - Start a conversation with your kids about the accounts they follow.
- Instead of telling them who they should or shouldn't follow, guide them toward more uplifting accounts by sending them recommendations.
- Talk to them about photo editing and how many influencers and famous people don't look like their posts in real life.
- Encourage them to reflect on how their feed makes them feel.
Tomorrow, we'll discuss how to swap scrolling with something that's truly relaxing. Until tomorrow,
The Healthline Team | 
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