NORTH DAKOTA (KXNET) — Your daily routine is something that should keep you grounded, but it could secretly be fueling your anxiety.

Dr. Tomy Marshall, along with a health and wellness team from Ski Vertigo, is warning that one habit could be amplifying these stress levels silently.

It was revealed that excessive screen time — like mindless scrolling on social media — could be the biggest contributor to anxiety, even though it gets overlooked.

Many people reach for their phones as soon as they wake up, flooding their brains with news, notifications, and social comparisons.

“The constant exposure to curated content, alarming news cycles, and digital stimulation keeps our nervous system in a heightened state of alert,” Dr. Marshall said. “It tricks the brain into believing we are under constant threat, increasing cortisol levels, and triggering anxiety.”

This is backed by a 2023 study from the University of Bath, which found that people who took a week-long break from social media had a significant reduction in stress and anxiety levels.

A report showed that those who spend over three hours daily on their phones were twice as likely to develop anxiety-related symptoms.

However, social media isn’t the only problem — excessive exposure to digital screens can overstimulate the brain, disrupt sleep patterns, and create a cycle of restlessness.

The constant bombardment is leaving little room for mindfulness, real-world interactions, and mental decompression.

Making sure people understand the link is important because it’s not affecting just mental health, but it’s affecting productivity, relationships, and overall well-being.

Fortunately, there are simple but effective changes people can make to counteract the habit, including:

• Setting digital boundaries
  • Have screen-free zones in the house (like the bedroom) and avoid screens for one hour before bed.
• Practice 20-20-20 rule
  • For every 20 minutes, look away for 20 seconds at something 20 feet away.
• Curate content
  • Unfollow accounts that cause anxiety and replace with wellness-focused content or educational material
• Engage in offline activities
  • Examples: reading, outdoor activities, or social interactions.
• Adopt a screen-free morning routine
  • Start the day with meditation, light exercise, or journaling.

Even though technology has its benefits, having an unchecked digital consumption routine is harming mental health more than people realize.

Experts at Ski Vertigo are emphasizing that people should take control of their screen time to reclaim their peace of mind.

A small habit change now can lead to significant improvement in the future of mental well-being.