Digital stress: a new type of stress

Digital stress: a new type of stress

by | Jul 15, 2025 | Stress Management & Sleep Disorders

By Marc Dellière, Medical Consultant & Trainer – Specialist in Stress, Prevention & Integrative Health

 

Digital social networks are no longer just a tool: they influence mental health across all age groups. As healthcare professionals, are we ready to support a generation of patients whose stress no longer stems solely from the real world, but also from the virtual, invisible, omnipresent world?

 

What science (and clinical practice) shows us

As healthcare providers, we are seeing the emergence of a new type of stress that is less visible and more diffuse: digital stress. Over the years, numerous studies have documented the close links between social media use, psychological distress, and impaired well-being.

Storme’s review (2021) provides a clear overview: digital networks are neither toxic nor neutral. Their impact depends on psychological profile, mode of use (passive or active), context, and degree of emotional regulation. Some people find connection there; others find isolation.

In recent years, research has focused on a phenomenon that is increasingly present in our consultations: the impact of digital social media on stress, anxiety, and depression.

  • Among young women with problematic social media use, acute stress reinforces the compulsive urge to connect, with rapid and difficult-to-control emotional reactions.
  • Among students confined during the pandemic, intensive use of more than 3 hours per day is correlated with increased levels of psychological distress (depression, anxiety, stress).
  • Among young working people, problematic social media use, as measured by a high score on the BSMAS scale, is strongly linked to anxiety and depression, with women being particularly vulnerable.

Conversely, among older adults, it is real-life social networks, when they are close-knit, balanced, and emotionally supportive, that play a protective role against perceived stress.

It is the quality of relationships, perceived support, and trust, rather than the number of contacts, that mitigate the effects of stress. Stable, reliable, and positive human networks are key determinants of mental health. 

 

When connections become mental burdens– What if our patients were no longer connecting to bond with others, but to temporarily relieve themselves of a discomfort they were unwittingly feeding?

  • The student isolated during lockdown, the executive addicted to Instagram between meetings, the senior citizen cut off from loved ones but hyperconnected to impersonal threads: each person experiences a fragmented emotional experience, oscillating between connection and tension, immediacy and exhaustion.
  • Compulsive scrolling, social comparison, and FOMO (fear of missing out) are no longer side effects: they have become the psychological daily life of millions of individuals. And for some, the digital connection has become an invisible chain.
  • In consultation, these ailments take on familiar faces: sleep disorders, constant tension, psychological exhaustion, anxiety disorders, and decreased motivation.

 

How can we integrate this data into our practice?

 Here are some concrete ideas:

  • Students • Effect: use >3 hours/day → depression, anxiety
    • Intervention: screen time education, support groups 
  • Young working adults • Effect: addiction → high stress (much more so in women)
    • Intervention: assessment of relationship with social media, emotional regulation, digital hygiene
  • Young women with problematic use • Effect: stress = trigger for compulsive use
    • Intervention: mindfulness, self-hypnosis, early detection
  • Older adults • Effect: balanced real-life social networks = protective factor
    • Intervention: maintaining close ties, community support

 

Moving from awareness to clinical action:

  • Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
  • Non-seasonal depression (adjunct or alternative therapy)
  • Delayed sleep phase, chronic insomnia
  • Fatigue from night shifts or rotating schedules
  • Certain cognitive or psychiatric disorders (under ongoing evaluation)

 

Daylight and light therapy — to be prescribed generously

✔ Assess digital stress as a new vulnerability factor.

✔ Adapt our care based on age, usage profile, and quality of relationships.

✔ Offer healthy alternatives:

  • Real and lasting social relationships
  • Offline activities (creative, sporting, group activities)
  • Digital self-regulation (mindfulness, self-hypnosis, supervised digital detox)

 

Ultimately, it may be a question of helping everyone regain their relational sovereignty. To put human connection back at the heart of mental balance. And to break those invisible chains that turn connection into tension, presence into dependence, and sociality into loneliness.

 

Scientific sources :

Social media and mental health in 2021. https://hal.science/hal-03911484/document

Digital social networks: sources of depression, anxiety, and jealousy?

Jahagirdar V, Sequeira LA, Kinattingal N, Roohi TF, Alshehri S, Shakeel F, Mehdi S. Assessment of the impact of social media addiction on psychosocial behaviour like depression, stress, and anxiety in working professionals. BMC Psychol. 2024 Jun 15;12(1):352. doi: 10.1186/s40359-024-01850-2. 

Kessling A, Müller A, Wolf OT, Merz CJ, Brand M, Wegmann E. Effects of acute psychosocial stress on cue-reactivity, attentional bias and implicit associations in women with problematic social network use: An experimental study. Addiction. 2025 Jun 13. doi: 10.1111/add.70099. 

Ellwardt L, Wittek RPM, Hawkley LC, Cacioppo JT. Social Network Characteristics and Their Associations With Stress in Older Adults: Closure and Balance in a Population-Based Sample. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2020 Aug 13;75(7):1573-1584. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbz035. 

Fast Food: the most powerful vectors of disease

Fast Food: the most powerful vectors of disease

by | Jul 8, 2025 | Blood Sugar Management

By Marc Dellière, Medical Consultant & Trainer – Specialist in Stress, Prevention & Integrative Health

 

When 6 p.m. rolls around and fatigue sets in, fast food seems like a simple, quick, almost lifesaving option. Yet this instant comfort hides a cascade of physiological, mental, and social disruptions—often invisible until it’s too late.

“What we call ‘food’ today is sometimes one of the most powerful vectors of disease.”

The Weight of the Facts Junk food kills—more quietly than tobacco, but even more broadly. Today, 88% of Americans would be considered overweight if we applied the longevity criteria of the Blue Zones. This isn’t just a gap—it’s a nutritional epidemic, driven by daily consumption of fast food, ultra-processed products, refined sugars, fried foods, and industrial snacks.

 

A few numbers

  • 1 in 5 Americans suffers from a psychiatric disorder, possibly linked to a nutrient-deficient diet.
  • In certain underprivileged neighborhoods, an obese diabetic may lose up to 45 years of potential life (Years of Potential Life Lost).
  • Just one extra tablespoon of oil per day can lead to a 10–20 lb weight gain over 10 years.

The Pain Behind the Numbers Fast food isn’t just what you buy at a burger counter. It’s also what fills rushed shopping carts, what’s eaten standing up, what “soothes” stress. For millions, it’s a response to fatigue, isolation, or poverty.

But this “solution” is a trap… These foods flood the bloodstream with empty calories, overload the liver, accelerate aging, promote cancer, and trigger addiction on par with alcohol or tobacco. And most importantly, they break the link with true hunger—the kind that protects and balances.

 

What you feel…

  • Bloating, fatigue, cravings…
  • Too much sodium: water retention, high blood pressure
  • Too much refined sugar: insulin spike → crash → fatigue
  • Too little fiber: sluggish digestion, depleted microbiome
  • Your heart suffers: saturated fats + salt = cholesterol, hypertension, arterial plaque
  • Your energy crashes: refined carbs and low protein/fiber = rapid digestion, short-lived energy, followed by fatigue
  • Your mood declines: sugar and fat excess + micronutrient deficiency = increased risk of depression, irritability
  • You gain weight… and gradually lose your sense of true hunger

 

What your body silently endures…

  • Silent inflammation, accelerated aging
  • Repeated insulin and IGF-1 spikes → cell proliferation + cancer
  • Glycation end products (AGEs) → brain, kidney, and joint aging
  • Nutrient deficiencies → antioxidant depletion
  • Hepatic overload, chronic oxidative stress

 

A Society Sick From Junk Food – A Call for Collective Responsibility In poor neighborhoods, life expectancy can drop by up to 45 years for overweight diabetics. Fast food feeds cycles of addiction: the worse you eat, the worse you feel… the more you eat again.

A nutritional medicine specialist, warns:

“What I call Fast Food Genocide is the invisible erosion of our health, our brains, and our life expectancy, orchestrated by the food industry.”

Dr. Joel Fuhrman, nutritional medicine specialist

 

His solution: the Nutritarian Diet, based on the following principles

  • Maximize micronutrients per calorie. “Health (H) is proportional to Nutrient Density (N) divided by Calories (C): H = N/C.”
  • Eat whole, unprocessed foods rich in fiber, antioxidants, and phytochemicals
  • Limit animal-based calories to under 5–10%
  • Observe a nightly fasting window of at least 13 hours (e.g., dinner at 7 p.m., breakfast at 8 a.m.)

This approach led to a 26% reduction in breast cancer recurrence in a 10-year study—without changing diet content, just by adjusting meal timing.

 

What you can do

  • Make better choices (even at fast food restaurants) → Choose lean proteins, vegetables, and standard sizes (avoid XL!) → Check nutritional info before ordering or buying @Yuka – https://yuka.io
  • Change your dietary foundation → Adopt a “Nutritarian” diet: high in fiber, phytonutrients, and colorful vegetables (H = N/C) → Less than 10% of calories from animal products
  • Respect your body’s natural rhythm → Finish dinner early (e.g., by 7 p.m.), and wait 13 hours before breakfast = +26% survival in breast cancer patients
  • Advocate for universal access to healthy food → Information alone is not enough. Good food must be available, affordable, and appealing

 

Fast Food = Fast Aging

This isn’t just a matter of willpower. It’s a matter of environment, biology, and justice—as Dr. Fuhrman underscores. As long as poor neighborhoods remain food deserts, and junk food remains cheap, omnipresent, and socially reinforced, obesity and chronic disease will keep spreading.

Health professionals, policymakers, educators, and responsible industries: we have a duty to change the norms. Let’s make the healthy choice the easy, accessible, and natural one. Food can become a pillar of prevention, longevity, mental health, and social cohesion.

 

Scientific sources :

 

 

Osteoarthritis: detect it before pain occurs

Osteoarthritis: detect it before pain occurs

by | Jul 1, 2025 | Joint Health

By Marc Dellière, Medical Consultant & Trainer – Specialist in Stress, Prevention & Integrative Health

Osteoarthritis doesn’t always strike suddenly.

 

Sometimes, it creeps up slowly: morning stiffness, discomfort when climbing stairs, a stubborn finger. We think it will go away… But little by little, the joint wears down, the cartilage thins, and the bones compensate. Osteoarthritis is already underway.

It’s not just a matter of age. Of course, the years count—they leave their mark on our joints. But other factors come into play, often long before the pain sets in.

Women seem to be more at risk. Perhaps it’s a hormonal issue, perhaps something else, we don’t yet know everything. Weight obviously plays a role: the more we carry, the heavier the load. But it’s not just a mechanical issue: adipose tissue releases inflammatory substances that fuel the problem.

Sometimes, it’s repetitive movements that cause gradual damage: a physical job, intense sports, or an old injury that hasn’t healed properly. And then there are the things we don’t see coming: a weaker grip, difficulty climbing stairs, low morale… all subtle signs that, when added together, trace a trajectory.

 

What predictive models tell us

A systematic review of 26 studies and 31 predictive models clearly showed that, beyond aging, other factors contribute to the onset of osteoarthritis, especially in the knee.

Among the most common predictors are:

  • age,
  • BMI,
  • previous trauma,
  • repeated occupational exposure,
  • poor mental health,
  • reduced mobility or decreased muscle strength.
  • certain chronic conditions such as hypertension or diabetes.

It is a slow, multifactorial process… but predictable.

Some models have excellent predictive power. However, their use in practice remains limited due to a lack of validation on more diverse populations.

 

Take the initiative, both clinically and preventively.

We cannot choose everything—not our age, not our genetics, not always our injuries. But there is still room for maneuver.

Maintaining strength, staying mobile, lightening the load where possible, supporting mental health… these are all simple, sometimes invisible actions that can make all the difference. Because osteoarthritis is not a bolt from the blue, but a slow drift that can sometimes be slowed down.

We therefore need to take a proactive approach:

✔️ Assess risk factors from the age of 45-50,

✔️ Identify early functional or psychological signs,

✔️ Support mobility, strength training, and morale,

✔️ Educate patients about the importance of simple actions before pain sets in.

 

And tomorrow?

A simple blood test could be enough.
A study published in Science Advances (Duke University, April 2024) shows that a blood test can detect knee osteoarthritis up to eight years before signs are visible on X-rays. This is a major step toward even earlier prevention.

 

Scientific sources :

✍️ Osteoarthritis https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/osteoarthritis/symptoms-causes/syc-20351925

✍️ Predictors of Osteoarthritis in Older Europeans: Insights From the SHARE Survey. Karim A, Hussain MA, Ahmad F, Qaisar R. Musculoskeletal Care. 2025 Jun;23(2):e70093. doi: 10.1002/msc.70093.

✍️ Appleyard T, Thomas MJ, Antcliff D, Peat G. Prediction Models to Estimate the Future Risk of Osteoarthritis in the General Population: A Systematic Review. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2023 Jul;75(7):1481-1493. doi: 10.1002/acr.25035. Epub 2023 Jan 25. PMID: 36205228. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36205228/

✍️ Virginia Byers Kraus et al., An osteoarthritis pathophysiological continuum revealed by molecular biomarkers. Sci. Adv.10,eadj6814(2024).DOI:10.1126/sciadv.adj6814

What about the lack of light and the effect on stress, sleep and fatigue?

What about the lack of light and the effect on stress, sleep and fatigue?

by | Jun 24, 2025 | Stress Management & Sleep Disorders

By Marc Dellière, Medical Consultant & Trainer – Specialist in Stress, Prevention & Integrative Health

 

As anxiety, chronic stress, and depression continue to rise, natural light and light therapy are emerging as simple, powerful — yet underused — therapeutic tools.

Healthcare professionals working long shifts and rarely seeing daylight offer a striking example.

A recent Chinese study involving 787 operating room nurses, all with minimal exposure to natural light, revealed alarming findings:

➤ They experienced high levels of psychological distress, directly correlated with low sun exposure.

Additional aggravating factors — such as irregular sleep or chronic health conditions — worsened the picture.

➤ These results clearly show how light deprivation, combined with professional stressors, can contribute to anxiety, depression… and even burnout.

 

Why is light so essential?

Chronobiology and neurobiology research confirms that natural light is fundamental for regulating our circadian rhythms. When light exposure is too low — especially for night workers or those in enclosed settings — it disrupts the sleep-wake cycle and increases the risk of mood disorders.

Here’s why:

  • Disruption of the body’s internal clock impairs day/night regulation and cognitive function.
  • Mood-related neurotransmitters like serotonin (well-being, appetite) and dopamine (motivation, alertness) follow daily and seasonal rhythms — and light is essential to maintain their balance.
  • Genetic variations (e.g., DRD4, or melanopsin genes) may influence an individual’s sensitivity to light therapy.

 

What is Bright Light Therapy (BLT)?

BLT (Bright Light Therapy) uses artificial white light (typically 5,000–10,000 lux) to mimic daylight and restore healthy biological rhythms.

It helps:

  • Reset the circadian clock
  • Stimulate serotonin and dopamine
  • Regulate melatonin and improve sleep

 

Evidence-based indications include:

  • Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
  • Non-seasonal depression (adjunct or alternative therapy)
  • Delayed sleep phase, chronic insomnia
  • Fatigue from night shifts or rotating schedules
  • Certain cognitive or psychiatric disorders (under ongoing evaluation)

 

Daylight and light therapy — to be prescribed generously

Light is not just a comfort — it’s a powerful modulator of our brain, immune system, mood, and motivation.

To maximize benefits, light therapy must be tailored: intensity, timing, duration, and patient profile all matter. Genetics, lifestyle, and working environment can all influence the response.

For shift workers, sun-deprived caregivers, or patients with depression, restoring light hygiene — daily daylight exposure, therapeutic lamps, workplace design — may become as vital as nutrition or physical activity.

In the end, acknowledging the power of light means expanding our toolkit for mental health and sustainable well-being.

 

What’s your experience with light therapy? Have you recommended it? Tried it yourself? Let’s share insights.

 

Scientific sources :

Association Between Sunlight Exposure and Mental Health: Evidence from a Special Population Without Sunlight in Work Jie Wang, Zhen Wei, Nan Yao, Caifeng Li, Long Sun Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2023; 16: 1049–1057. Published online 2023 Jun 14. doi: 10.2147/RMHP.S420018

The Contribution of Environmental Science to Mental Health Research: A Scoping Review Michaela Roberts, Kathryn Colley, Margaret Currie, Antonia Eastwood, Kuang-Heng Li, Lisa M. Avery, Lindsay C. Beevers, Isobel Braithwaite, Martin Dallimer, Zoe G. Davies, Helen L. Fisher, Christopher J. Gidlow, Anjum Memon, Ian S. Mudway, Larissa A. Naylor, Stefan Reis, Pete Smith, Stephen A. Stansfeld, Stephanie Wilkie, Katherine N. Irvine Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Apr; 20(7): 5278. Published online 2023 Mar 27. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20075278

Shankar A, Williams CT. The darkness and the light: diurnal rodent models for seasonal affective disorder. Dis Model Mech. 2021 Jan 26;14(1):dmm047217. doi: 10.1242/dmm.047217. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7859703/

Levitan RD. The chronobiology and neurobiology of winter seasonal affective disorder. Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2007;9(3):315-24. doi: 10.31887/DCNS.2007.9.3/rlevitan.  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3202491/

Conseils et astuces contre la dépression saisonnière : nutrition et mode de vie https://www.le-guide-sante.org/actualites/medecine/depression-saisonniere-conseils-astuces-nutrition-sante

 

3 effective diets for improving glycemic control

3 effective diets for improving glycemic control

by | Jun 17, 2025 | Blood Sugar Management

With the surge in prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, dietary strategies are no longer just general lifestyle advice — they’ve become powerful therapeutic tools.

 

But which one should you recommend in clinical practice?

One of the most reliable ways to assess a diet’s effectiveness is by tracking changes in HbA1c, a key marker of long-term glycemic control.

HbA1c reflects average blood glucose over the past 2 to 3 months. The higher the level, the greater the risk of complications such as retinopathy, neuropathy, and cardiovascular disease.

Comparison of the Most Studied Diets

🔹 Low-Carb Diet

  • Definition: moderate carbohydrate restriction (<130 g/day)
  • Effect on HbA1c: −0.28% to −0.44%
  • Notes: Effective in the short term, but benefits tend to fade without long-term support.

 

🔹 Ketogenic Diet

  • Definition: very low in carbohydrates (<50 g/day), high in fats
  • Effect on HbA1c: −0.38% to −1.1%
  • Notes: Rapid and significant impact, but requires close medical supervision. Not always suitable for long-term use

 

🔹 Mediterranean Diet

  • Definition: high in vegetables, fruits, olive oil, legumes, and fish
  • Effect on HbA1c: −0.3% to −0.5%
  • Notes: An excellent balance of effectiveness, adherence, and cardiovascular protection.

 

In clinical practice:

The best diet is the one a patient can realistically maintain over time, with sustained improvements in glycemic control and quality of life.

Key success factors:

  • Tailor dietary advice to the patient’s age, treatment plan, BMI, comorbidities, and likelihood of adherence
  • Provide ongoing support and education
  • Monitor regularly: HbA1c, weight, abdominal circumference, lipids, nutritional status

Sources :

Ajala O, English P, Pinkney J. Systematic review and meta-analysis of different dietary approaches to the management of type 2 diabetes. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 Mar;97(3):505-16. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.112.042457.

Régimes méditerranéens et prévention du diabète : à l’heure des preuves https://hal.science/hal-03493556/document

Esposito K, Maiorino MI, Ciotola M, Di Palo C, Scognamiglio P, Gicchino M, Petrizzo M, Saccomanno F, Beneduce F, Ceriello A, Giugliano D. Effects of a Mediterranean-style diet on the need for antihyperglycemic drug therapy in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2009 Sep 1;151(5):306-14. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-151-5-200909010-00004.

Meng Y, Bai H, Wang S, Li Z, Wang Q, Chen L. Efficacy of low carbohydrate diet for type 2 diabetes mellitus management: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2017 Sep;131:124-131. doi: 10.1016/j.diabres.2017.07.006.

Snorgaard O, Poulsen GM, Andersen HK, Astrup A. Systematic review and meta-analysis of dietary carbohydrate restriction in patients with type 2 diabetes. BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. 2017 Feb 23;5(1):e000354. doi: 10.1136/bmjdrc-2016-000354.

Huntriss R, Campbell M, Bedwell C. The interpretation and effect of a low-carbohydrate diet in the management of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2018 Mar;72(3):311-325. doi: 10.1038/s41430-017-0019-4.

Effect of the Ketogenic Diet on the Prophylaxis and Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus: A Review of the Meta-Analyses and Clinical Trials. Dyńka D, Kowalcze K, Ambrozkiewicz F, Paziewska A. Nutrients. 2023 Jan 18;15(3):500. doi: 10.3390/nu15030500.

Efficacy of a High-Protein Diet to Lower Glycemic Levels in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review. Flores-Hernández MN, Martínez-Coria H, López-Valdés HE, Arteaga-Silva M, Arrieta-Cruz I, Gutiérrez-Juárez R. Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Oct 11;25(20):10959. doi: 10.3390/ijms252010959.

Comparison of the Effect of Intermittent Fasting with Mediterranean Diet on Glycemic, Lipid, and Anthropometric Indices in Type 2 Diabetes: A Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Dehghani S, Karimi P, Tarei NN, Masoumvand M, Manesh MAN, Ramezani E, Askari VR. Curr Hypertens Rev. 2025 Apr 11. doi: 10.2174/0115734021351456250326051146. 

Anti-glycaemic effect of the Chinese modified DASH diet combined with 23% low-sodium salt in patients with hypertension and type 2 diabetes: a clinical trial. An J, Liu G, Luo W, Zhou X, Mei Y, Zhang Z, Zhao L, Huang Y, Mu L. Diabetol Metab Syndr. 2025 Feb 12;17(1):55. doi: 10.1186/s13098-025-01618-7.

Investigating the Effectiveness of Very Low-Calorie Diets and Low-Fat Vegan Diets on Weight and Glycemic Markers in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Kashyap A, Mackay A, Carter B, Fyfe CL, Johnstone AM, Myint PK. Nutrients. 2022 Nov 17;14(22):4870. doi: 10.3390/nu14224870.

The Effect of Dietary Glycaemic Index on Glycaemia in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Ojo O, et al. Nutrients. 2018. PMID: 29562676 Free PMC article. Review.

Intermittent v. continuous energy restriction: differential effects on postprandial glucose and lipid metabolism following matched weight loss in overweight/obese participants. Antoni R, Johnston KL, Collins AL, Robertson MD. Br J Nutr. 2018 Mar;119(5):507-516. doi: 10.1017/S0007114517003890.

Intermittent fasting and health: Does timing matter? Dote-Montero M, Clavero-Jimeno A, Labayen I, Ruiz JR. Clin Transl Med. 2025 May;15(5):e70325. doi: 10.1002/ctm2.70325.

Sutton EF, Beyl R, Early KS, Cefalu WT, Ravussin E, Peterson CM. Early Time-Restricted Feeding Improves Insulin Sensitivity, Blood Pressure, and Oxidative Stress Even without Weight Loss in Men with Prediabetes. Cell Metab. 2018 Jun 5;27(6):1212-1221.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2018.04.010.