Excessive time spent online linked to stress and worse mood – study

Participants with more severe problematic internet usage were associated with worse mood, more stress, longer internet use times and greater neglect of other areas of life. Photograph: John Reyes Mejia/EPA

Spending excessive time online is associated with higher stress levels, worse mood, and greater neglect of other activities, according to analysis.

The new study by academics at the University of Duisburg-Essen published in the journal PLOS One, surveyed 900 German adults in 2025 who reported engaging in gaming, pornography use, social network use, or online shopping at least once in the last year.