Be careful! Watching Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts for hours can be costly, research reveals shocking facts.

Instagram Reels: In today's digital world, the craze of platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts has increased so much that many people spend a large part of the day just scrolling.

In today's digital world, the craze of platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts has increased so much that many people spend a large part of the day just scrolling. These videos of a few seconds have not only become a timepass but are also gradually affecting the brain and thinking ability. A new study that has come out recently has revealed shocking things which suggest that the addiction to short videos is preventing us from taking informed decisions and is even causing financial loss.

This research has been conducted by Professor Qiang Wang of Tianjin Normal University, China and his team, which has been published in the journal NeuroImage. According to this study, people who spend more time on short videos like TikTok or Reels have a negative impact on their decision-making ability. In particular, the tendency to avoid loss in their brains weakens.

This is the natural quality that helps us avoid risk. For example, if a scheme promises to win Rs 1,000 but there is also a risk of losing Rs 500, then a person with loss aversion will stay away from this risk. But people who are stuck in the habit of short videos often do not shy away from taking such risks even if the possibility of loss is high.

The biggest attraction of these platforms is the 'instant reward system' i.e. watch one video, have some fun, then the next video. This sequence keeps giving the user a constant dose of dopamine, due to which the brain gets rid of the habit of happiness obtained by slow and thoughtful thinking. Its direct effect is that the person starts taking big and important decisions of life in a hurry without much thought.

This problem is not limited to the brain but it affects the entire routine and lifestyle. Continuously watching videos leads to distraction and difficulty in focusing. Even the sleep of many users is affected because nights pass by watching "just one more video". Not only this, mental problems like anxiety, depression and loss of confidence have also started to appear due to watching short videos for a long time.

The study also states that on an average a person in China spends 151 minutes a day on short videos and more than 95% of internet users are involved in them in some form or the other. Scientists have compared this addiction to gambling and drug addiction because all have the same tendency: seeking instant pleasure and ignoring long-term damage.

If you want to save yourself from this habit, then start monitoring screen time. Take a break every 20–30 minutes and avoid uncontrolled scrolling. Try to read books, exercise or spend time in one of your hobbies. Make sure to do a digital detox by staying away from the phone at least once a week.

Even though these short videos are just a few seconds long, they have a profound impact on our brain, sleep, focus and even financial decisions. Therefore, it is important that they are used wisely and it should be limited to entertainment and not a habit.