Social media use before exercise can reduce performance, Danish expert warns

Using social media shortly before exercise can cause mental fatigue and significantly reduce physical performance, a Danish sports physiologist has warned.

Lars Johansen, a sports physiologist at Team Denmark, a government body, told public broadcaster DR on Friday that studies showed social media use before an activity could impair performance.

"The studies clearly show that using social media before an activity significantly impairs your performance," said Johansen, who has spent four years examining the connection between social media and performance.

According to Johansen, social media use mentally fatigues the brain, leaving people feeling exhausted and less motivated.

Team Denmark has monitored research published in international journals since 2022. One study compared athletes who used social media for 30 minutes before completing a yo-yo fitness test with a control group who watched traditional television.

The athletes who used social media performed 10% worse, corresponding to a decline of nearly 4% in their fitness score.

"If you compare the deterioration in physical capacity, it is equivalent to smoking 3-4 cigarettes before you can perform," Johansen said.

Danish Olympic curler Madeleine Dupont said her team stopped using social media before training sessions and matches during the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.

"We felt that it stole the focus from our performance, and it was actually an easy decision when we first realized how big an impact social media can have," she said.

Johansen said the effects were not limited to elite athletes but could also influence recreational exercise and activities requiring mental focus, including job interviews.

He did not recommend a complete ban, calling it "unrealistic" for most people. Instead, he advised avoiding social media in the hours before training, competitions or other activities requiring strong physical or mental performance.