Why I Cut My Instagram Time to 30 Minutes a Day

I recently reduced my Instagram limit to 30 minutes a day after I discovered the “app limit” setting on iPhone and I couldn’t believe the instant changes I noticed in myself.

Without the constant drip of reels, stories, likes and ads, I started to notice how wired I’d been. Not in a good way but more like a constant low-level buzzing; a hyper-alertness that never quite let me settle. In contrast, the past week has felt slower and quieter. I feel more present, more relaxed and surprisingly more tired. It’s not the kind of exhaustion that comes from burnout or overstimulation, it’s a peaceful tiredness, like my nervous system is finally exhaling.

The Dopamine Loop of Social Media

To understand why this shift has felt so deep, it helps to look at the role of dopamine. Although dopamine is often called the “feel good” chemical, it is actually less about pleasure itself and more about anticipation. It fuels motivation, novelty-seeking and reward-based learning.

Before we open Instagram, our brains are releasing dopamine in anticipation of something rewarding like funny videos, likes or messages. Over time, this creates a loop: crave a reward, check the app, feel briefly rewarded, crave more. The issue with this is that constant stimulation can dysregulate our dopamine system. This means that instead of feeling genuinely good after scrolling on Instagram, we end up chasing the next “hit” just to feel normal. Therefore when we’re not scrolling, we can feel restless, flat, anxious or numb.

This isn’t just a theory, neuroimaging studies have shown that excessive social media use can alter the brain’s reward system to increase impulsivity and reduce our capacity for sustained attention. Essentially, we become dopamine junkies.

Emotional Fallout

Beyond the neurochemistry, there’s an emotional toll; the comparison, the overstimulation and the blurred boundary between genuine connection and performative presence. This means that over time, our emotional bandwidth starts to shrink. We might feel more irritable, distracted, or even empty, especially when real life doesn’t match the curated, filtered world we see online.

Cutting back on the time we spend on social media forces us to feel again; to reconnect with slower, more embodied emotions that feel real and genuinely good. At first, this might show up as tiredness, boredom or even discomfort, but these are important signals. They’re signs that we’re coming back into contact with ourselves.

Tired, But Free

For me, I didn’t feel bored, perhaps because I made sure to spend time on my other hobbies, but I really noticed a new sense of tiredness. This tiredness I’ve been feeling isn’t a problem, it’s a signal. It’s showing me how much energy was being drained by the constant stimulation. I felt tired before setting my Instagram limit but I didn’t ever get the chance to acknowledge that. I escaped from feeling tired by numbing my mind with reels, which in turn made me more tired due to the overstimulation. Now without so much input from reels, and with the recognition that I am tired, I am learning to live from a softer and more gentle place that feels grounding. I’ve been noticing small things again: my breath, the sounds coming through my window, and the delicious flavours in my food at meal times.

Of course, social media isn’t inherently bad. It connects us, inspires us, gives us a voice, and as I’ve discovered, can be essential for business. However like any powerful tool, it needs boundaries so that we can maintain a sense of space within us.

Tips If You’re Thinking of Cutting Back

• Set a limit that feels okay with you and not too difficult at first. My Instagram screen time was 1-2 hours a day, so reducing that to 30 minutes a day felt approachable for me.

• Replace, don’t just remove. Fill the space with something nourishing: reading, walking, journaling, art, dance.

• Notice what comes up for you. Write in your journal about the changes you feel and see if you learn something about yourself.

• Be kind to yourself. If it’s uncomfortable at first, just remember that discomfort is part of the detox. Give yourself grace as you recalibrate and remember that the benefits will come.

Reducing screen time isn’t just about being productive or disciplined. Sometimes, it’s about remembering who we are underneath the noise and giving that version of ourselves the attention they’ve been waiting for.

If you struggle with your screen time and would like to take a closer look at your emotional patterns, counselling can help. Book a free consutation with me by clicking "Book an Appointment" at the top right hand of the screen, I'd love to hear from you.