Reading · CEFR B1 · Unit 6

The Impact of Social Media on Young Minds

It connects us to the whole world — but how is it changing the way we think, sleep, and feel?

Reading time: ~5 min Level B1 Self-grading quiz below

Before you read

Talk or think about these questions first:

How many hours a day do you spend on social media?
How do you feel after scrolling for a long time?
Write down three effects social media might have on young people. Check them as you read.

Open your phone. Tap an app. Scroll. For millions of young people, this happens hundreds of times every day. Social media connects us to friends all over the world — but scientists are asking an important question: how does it change our minds?

Teenager looking at a phone in the dark — For many teens, the phone is the first thing they see…

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Why is it so hard to stop?

Apps are designed to keep your attention. Every time you get a like or a notification, your brain releases a small amount of dopamine — a chemical that makes you feel good. The feeling is pleasant, but it doesn't last, so you check your phone again… and again. Little by little, the habit can become addictive. Scientists say teenage brains are especially sensitive to these rewards, because they are still developing.

Sleep and attention

Two of the biggest effects are on sleep and attention. The blue light from screens tricks the brain into thinking it is still daytime, so it produces less melatonin, the "sleep hormone". If you scroll late at night, you will probably sleep badly. During the day, jumping between videos and messages trains the brain to switch quickly, which can make it harder to focus on one thing for a long time.

Phone glowing on a bed at night — Late-night scrolling…

The comparison trap

Social media is full of "perfect" lives: amazing holidays, perfect bodies, exciting parties. But these posts only show the best moments. When young people compare their normal, everyday lives to these perfect images, they can feel that they are "not good enough". Over time, this constant comparison can lower their self-esteem.

The posts only show the best moments — not the whole story.

48%

In a 2025 survey, nearly half of teenagers said social media is bad for people their age — up from about a third just three years earlier.

It's not all bad

However, social media is not the enemy. It helps us stay in touch with family far away, find people who share our interests, learn new skills, and express our creativity. Used well, it can even support our well-being. The problem is not social media itself — it is how much and how we use it.

Friends laughing together outdoors — Time spent face-to-face…

Taking control

The good news is that small changes make a big difference. If you turn off notifications, you will check your phone less. If you keep your phone out of your bedroom, you will sleep better. And if you spend more time face-to-face with friends, you will probably feel happier. In one 2024 study, teenagers who reduced their social media to about 30 minutes a day felt less sad after only three weeks. Your mind is powerful — and you are in control of it.

Key vocabulary

social media: — websites and apps for sharing and connecting.
a notification: — a message that tells you about new activity.
dopamine: — a brain chemical that gives a quick good feeling.
addictive: — hard to stop doing.
to compare: — to look at how two things are different.
self-esteem: — how you feel about yourself.
well-being: — the state of being healthy and happy.
face-to-face: — in person, not online.

Based on research from Pew Research Center (2025), a 2024 JAMA Pediatrics study, and reviews of social media and adolescent sleep and well-being.

Now check your understanding

Read, Sort & Review

Answer the questions, sort the ideas, and study the flashcards. Tap Check Answers as you go, then Show My Score.

Comprehension

Did You Understand?

What to do: Answer using the article. Then tap Check Answers.

1. What chemical do likes and notifications release in the brain?

2. What does blue light make the brain produce less of at night?

3. Comparing your life to "perfect" posts can lower your ______.

4. Name one benefit of social media from the article.

5. In the 2024 study, how long did it take before teens felt less sad?

one day three weeks one year

6. According to the article, what is the real problem?

social media itself smartphones how much and how we use it

Benefits / Risks

Sort the Effects

What to do: Is each one a benefit or a risk of social media? Tap a card to move it into a box, then tap Check Answers.

Benefit

Risk

Talk About It

Discussion

What to do: Discuss with a partner or write your own answers. There is no score — share your real opinions.

Questions

Do you agree that social media is "addictive"? Why or why not?
Which effect from the article surprised you the most?
What is one rule you could follow? Use a first conditional: "If I…, I will…"
Is social media better or worse for young people overall? Give reasons.

Vocabulary

Flashcards

What to do: Tap a card to reveal the meaning and an example. These are the key words for this unit.

social medianountap to reveal

websites and apps for sharing and connecting"She posts photos on social media."

screen timenountap to reveal

the time you spend looking at a screen"I'm cutting down my screen time."

a notificationnountap to reveal

a message that tells you about new activity"My phone is full of notifications."

to scrollverbtap to reveal

to move through content on a screen"He scrolled for an hour."

addictiveadjectivetap to reveal

hard to stop doing"These apps are very addictive."

a distractionnountap to reveal

something that takes your attention away"My phone is a distraction when I study."

self-esteemnountap to reveal

how you feel about yourself"Comparison can lower your self-esteem."

to compareverbtap to reveal

to look at how two things are different"Don't compare your life to others online."

well-beingnountap to reveal

the state of being healthy and happy"Sleep is important for well-being."

face-to-faceadjectivetap to reveal

in person, not online"We talk face-to-face at dinner."

Tap to see your score on the comprehension and sorting tasks, then show your teacher.

Score

Your Result

Show this screen to your teacher.

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