WeeklySA_AdminSTREAMING: New research from Finland suggests online shopping is more strongly associated with stress than social media, email or even news consumption…
By WSAM Reporter
Planning to save time by doing your shopping online? You may want to think twice.
A new study by researchers at Aalto University has found that online shopping is more strongly linked to stress than activities such as reading the news, checking email, watching streaming content, or even consuming adult entertainment.
The findings challenge the common assumption that people turn to online shopping and social media primarily to relax. Instead, the research suggests that these activities may actually amplify stress—especially for those already feeling under pressure in their daily lives.
“Previous studies have shown that social media and online shopping are often used to relieve stress,” says doctoral researcher Mohammad Belal. “However, our results show that an increase in social media use or online shopping is linked to higher self-reported stress across multiple user groups and across devices.”
Tracking behaviour
Unlike many earlier studies that relied on participants estimating their own screen time, this research used a tracking programme installed on participants’ devices. Nearly 1,500 adults were monitored over seven months, generating data from close to 47 million web visits and 14 million app uses. This information was then combined with participants’ self-reported stress levels.
The study, to be published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research on 9 January 2026, found a strong overall link between internet use and heightened stress—particularly among individuals who already reported high stress levels.
The researchers discovered notable differences between types of online behaviour. Users of YouTube, streaming platforms and online games also reported increased stress. For people experiencing high stress, time spent on social media was twice as likely to be associated with stress compared to time spent gaming.
Surprisingly, participants who spent more time reading emails, browsing news sites or consuming adult entertainment reported lower stress levels. Researchers cautioned, however, that they measured only time spent on news sites—not the nature or tone of the content.
“People who spent a lot of time on news sites reported less stress than others,” Belal explains. “At the same time, those who were already highly stressed tended to avoid news consumption, which aligns with earlier research showing that stress can reduce news engagement.”
The study also found demographic differences: women reported higher stress than men, while older and wealthier participants tended to experience lower stress levels overall. The apparent stress-relieving effect of adult entertainment may be linked to the fact that it was typically consumed in short bursts, acting as a brief distraction rather than prolonged engagement.
Digital well-being
The findings arrive amid increasing global scrutiny of the impact of digital platforms on mental health. Recent policy moves—such as Australia’s ban on social media use for children—have intensified debate about how online behaviour shapes well-being. Despite the internet’s central role in modern life, our scientific understanding remains limited, Belal argues. “There’s a huge critical gap in understanding how online behaviours impact stress and well-being.”
Assistant professor Juhi Kulshrestha adds that while the study offers important insights, it does not definitively answer whether online activities cause stress or whether stressed individuals gravitate toward certain platforms.
“Are people more stressed because they spend more time online shopping or on social media, or are these platforms offering support during difficult times?” she asks. “Putting blanket bans or strict limits on internet use may not solve the problem—and could even remove a vital coping mechanism for some people.”
Healthier digital habits
The researchers believe their work could inform the design of future well-being tools and online services. Next, they plan to examine how different types of news—such as political, sports or entertainment coverage—relate to stress and broader measures of well-being.
“As we gain more accurate information about how people actually use the internet,” Kulshrestha says, “we can begin to design tools that help users regulate their online habits and maintain a healthier balance.”
For now, the message is clear: the internet can both soothe and strain mental health—and the difference may lie not just in how much we scroll, but what we choose to scroll through.
