The findings are based on the study What remedies are there for distress in the age of social media?, which examined the experiences of Finnish 18–30-year-olds regarding the effects of smart devices and social media on well-being. The study also produced new insights into the use of smart devices and social media in working life, as well as the ways young people try to reduce the harms caused by smart devices.

The study is based on a representative survey conducted in August 2025 (N=1040) and group interviews with young adults. The research was funded by the mutual pension insurance company Elo and the Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS). The study was carried out by E2 Research in cooperation with experts from Elo and FSHS.

Young adults are trying to reduce screen time – but making lasting changes is difficult

As many as 82 per cent of young adults often or sometimes feel that they use smart devices more than they would like. A majority (62%) have tried to reduce their use and believe that cutting down on screen time would improve their well-being (68%).

The most common ways of managing smart device use include disabling or muting notifications, taking breaks from device use during work or study days, deleting social media and gaming apps, and leaving the phone in another room.

However, lasting changes remain difficult for many. Social pressure, work demands and the digitalisation of services pull people back to the screen.

Young adults spend hours a day on social media

Nearly eight out of ten (78%) young adults believe that social media use is a significant contributor to the increased distress experienced by their age group.

Most young adults (76%) use social media for at least three hours a day, and more than one third (37%) for over five hours a day.

“In practice, this means that nearly 400,000 young adults spend more than five hours a day on social media. For an individual, that amounts to roughly 150 hours per month, and according to the results, a large share of this time is spent on random browsing of content. Even a moderate reduction in social media use would free up time for work, studies and spending time with loved ones,” says Ville Pitkänen, Research Manager at E2 Research.

At the same time, smart devices and social media also have many positive effects: they provide entertainment, facilitate communication and make everyday life smoother. Among young adults who are active in working life, many feel that social media provides work-related information and inspiration.

Young women and stressed individuals experience the harms of smart devices most strongly

Young women experience the negative effects of digital use more often than men. Among young women, 57 per cent feel that smart device use has increased social comparison, compared to 26 per cent of men. Forty-three per cent of women believe that smart device use has negatively affected their self-esteem or self-image, compared to only 16 per cent of men. At the same time, women use various strategies to manage smart device use more often than men.

Stressed young adults use social media more than average and experience negative effects of smart device use—such as anxiety, sleep problems and compulsive use—significantly more often than others. One interviewee describes it as follows:

“Social media use is also a self-reinforcing cycle: people who are feeling unwell easily turn to social media—I’ve noticed this in myself as well. When you’re going through a difficult period, social media is a place you easily end up in, because there is so much fast content you can immerse yourself in.”

Every second young adult notices a decline in concentration

Half (52%) of young adults believe that smart device use has weakened their ability to concentrate. More than one-third (38%) report that devices have caused insomnia or worsened sleep quality, and nearly one-third (31%) feel that smart device use has reduced their productivity at work or in studies.

The most common work-related problems associated with smart device use include pressure to be constantly reachable (36%), the blurring of boundaries between work and leisure time (33%), and “multitasking” (28%), i.e. doing several things at the same time. One-fifth of young adults often or very often use smart devices for work matters outside their actual working hours.

Kati Korhonen-Yrjänheikki, Chief Workability Officer at Elo, is concerned about how screen time in particular increases young people’s experiences of loneliness, reduces physical activity and undermines mental well-being. She considers the harmful effects of smart devices on work ability to be undeniable.

“The erosion of concentration weakens mental well-being and performance. When we imagine we are present in many places at once, we are in fact not truly present anywhere. The survey sends a strong message that young people want clear guidelines and boundaries for social media use in the workplace. It is the supervisor’s role to support employees in managing and setting boundaries for their work—young people in particular need this support,” says Korhonen-Yrjänheikki from pension insurance company Elo.

Digital well-being is left too much to individual responsibility

One in five young adults (21%) would like support or tools to manage their use of smart devices. There is also a need for more information about the harmful effects of excessive use.

The interviewed young adults feel that responsibility for managing smart device use is too often placed on the individual, even though digital tools are essential in working life and everyday activities. Many hope for clearer policies, shared rules and role-modelling from workplaces and educational institutions when it comes to setting boundaries.

“The results highlighted by the study are in line with the everyday experiences of FSHS healthcare professionals regarding the impact of social media on well-being. Society needs to recognise that problems related to screen time are not only about children, but also affect other age groups. FSHS provides information and support for mental well-being and managing digital strain. We also encourage higher education institutions to increase in-person teaching, as face-to-face instruction and communal learning environments enable human interaction and support student well-being. Together with higher education institutions, we also want to build the shared digital boundaries called for by this study,” says Annika Saarikko, CEO of FSHS.

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The research data were collected in August–September 2025 from Norstat’s online panel. The survey data (N=1040) are representative of 18–30-year-olds living in mainland Finland. In addition, young adults were interviewed in two group interviews (N=14).

Further information on the research results:
Ville Pitkänen, Research Manager
E2 Research
ville.pitkanen@e2.fi
+358 40 7770 869

Aino Heikkilä, Project Manager
E2 Research
aino.heikkila@e2.fi
+358 44 3028 727

Interview requests and interpretation of results:
Kati Korhonen-Yrjänheikki, Chief Workability Officer
Elo Mutual Pension Insurance Company
kati.korhonen-yrjanheikki@elo.fi
+358 40 7003 335

Annika Saarikko, CEO
FSHS
annika.saarikko@yths.fi
+358 40 7446 770