Trying to cut down on the time you’re wasting scrolling through social media can be a real struggle.

We’re all very aware of the negative impacts of spending too long looking at highlight reels from other people’s picture-perfect lives, but that doesn’t make it any easier to quit the habit - in part thanks to the way that social media platforms are designed to hijack the body’s dopamine reward system, giving us a rush with every new notification.

But according to a new study published in the Journal Of Technology In Behavioural Science, even making a small effort to reduce the time you spend on social platforms could have a positive impact on our wellbeing.

Researchers at Swansea University found that cutting back social media usage by just 15 minutes a day was beneficial for study participants’ social lives and vitality.

As part of their study, they recruited 50 undergraduates from six universities across the UK, all aged between 18 and 30, who used a social networking site like Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook or Twitter on their phone.

Reducing our social media use by this small amount can have a positive impact on wellbeing