Pre-bedtime social media use and mental health among Muslim undergraduates: a phenomenological study

The increasing integration of social media into daily life has raised growing concerns about its implications for students’ mental health, particularly when engagement occurs during emotionally vulnerable periods such as before bedtime. This study explores the lived experiences of Muslim undergraduate students regarding pre-bedtime social media use and its perceived effects on mental health and emotional well-being. Guided by a qualitative phenomenological approach, the study seeks to understand how students interpret and make meaning of their late-night digital engagement. Five Muslim undergraduate students from a Malaysian public university were purposively selected and participated in in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted online. Data were analysed manually using thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework. The analysis revealed four interconnected themes: emotional regulation through social media use, emotional distress from negative and tragic content, social comparison and self-doubt, and cognitive overload and anxiety from digital saturation. Findings indicate that pre-bedtime social media use plays an ambivalent role in students’ mental health experiences. On one hand, selective engagement with entertaining or motivational content provided temporary emotional relief and stress regulation. On the other hand, exposure to distressing news, comparison-inducing content, misinformation, and online conflict intensified anxiety, emotional fatigue, self-doubt, and cognitive strain. These effects were particularly pronounced during night-time use, when students reported reduced emotional resilience and difficulty disengaging from digital content. The study highlights the importance of recognising both the adaptive and maladaptive dimensions of pre-bedtime social media use. By foregrounding students’ subjective experiences within a Muslim undergraduate context, this research contributes nuanced insights into the complex relationship between digital behaviour and mental health. The findings underscore the need for mindful, intentional digital engagement and culturally sensitive mental health initiatives to support students’ psychological well-being.