UK media consumption trends 2026: Do Brits think social media and screen time affects wellbeing?

Key findings:

• More than one in four (27%) UK media consumers say the amount of media they consume has a negative effect on their wellbeing, while 20% perceive a positive one and 49% are neutral.
• Spending more time consuming media than intended is the most commonly cited negative effect, reported by 51% of UK adults.
• Younger adults are significantly more likely to associate media consumption with negative outcomes, with 46% of 18–24-year-olds citing sleep disruption, 43% reduced focus or attention span, and 39% reduced productivity.

In the first three parts of our UK media consumption trends series, we explored where Britons consume media, how they engage with different content formats, and whether smartphones are affecting attention spans and concentration.

In this fourth instalment, we turn to wellbeing – exploring how UK adults view the impact of media consumption on their daily lives and the challenges they most commonly associate with screen time and social media use.

Do UK adults think social media and screen time affect wellbeing?

Over in four (27%) of media consumers say the amount of media they consume has a negative effect on their wellbeing. One in five (20%) perceive a positive effect, while 49% describe the impact as neutral.

Younger adults are more likely to view media consumption positively. Nearly three in ten 18–24-year-olds (29%) say it has a positive effect on their wellbeing, compared with 19% of those aged 45–54 and 18% of adults aged 55 and over. Older adults are the most likely to take a neutral stance, with 57% of over-55s saying media consumption has neither a positive nor negative impact on their wellbeing.

What negative effects do people in UK associate with media consumption?

Although many adults feel media consumption has a neutral overall effect on wellbeing, a majority associate it with at least one negative consequence.

The most commonly cited negative consequence of media consumption is spending more time than intended (51%). Other frequently mentioned effects include sleep disruption (31%), reduced focus or attention span (28%), reduced productivity (26%) and information overload (24%).

Mental wellbeing concerns are also common. Nearly one in five adults who consume media associate consumption with increased anxiety or stress (19%), while 17% link it to low mood or feelings of depression. Around 17% say media consumption leads them to compare themselves with others on social media, and 15% report feeling overwhelmed.

Younger adults are considerably more likely than older generations to associate media consumption with a wide range of negative effects.

Among 18–24-year-olds, 46% cite sleep disruption, 43% mention reduced focus or attention span and 39% point to reduced productivity. Women are more likely than men to say media consumption leads them to spend more time than intended (55% vs. 47%) and to compare themselves with others on social media (22% vs. 12%).

The findings suggest that while many UK adults see media consumption as having little direct impact on their wellbeing, concerns around screen time, attention and overuse remain widespread, particularly among younger audiences.

Read the full media consumption insights series:

Part 1: UK media consumption trends in 2026: TV, streaming and social media usage

Part 2: UK media consumption trends in 2026: Short-form vs. long-form video consumption insights

Part 3: UK media consumption trends in 2026: Are smartphones impacting attention spans in the UK?

Methodology: YouGov Surveys: Serviced provides quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. This study was conducted online between 19-20 May 2026, with a nationally representative sample of 2,130 adults (aged 18+ years) in the United Kingdom, using a questionnaire designed by YouGov. Data figures have been weighted by age, gender, education, region and social grade to be representative of all adults in the United Kingdom (18 years or older) and reflect the latest ONS population estimates.

Image: Getty Images