Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
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Research Article

The Impact of the Intensity of Short-Video Usage on the Anxiety Levels of College Students: The Mediating Effect of Sleep Quality on the Experience of Reality Nihilism

Yafei LingXi'an Physical Education University*

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

In recent years, short-video platforms have become very popular and are now used by many college students to learn and have fun. Research on the effects of short-video use on the mental health of college students has received considerable attention, but how different levels of short-video use affect anxiety is not well known. The extent to which college students use short videos and the level of their anxiety will be examined in this paper; at the same time, it will be determined whether sleep quality and real-life emptiness are related to this phenomenon. According to the research results, the degree of short-video use is positively associated with anxiety; however, it is found that people's immersion in and dependence on short videos have a greater impact on anxiety than the duration of use itself. At the same time, sleep quality and a sense of reality-nothingness are also related; among them, the intermediary effect of reality-nothingness is relatively stronger. Based on the above, it is proposed that college students should reasonably manage their use of short videos, enhance their own mental health and media literacy education in college, optimise content recommendation mechanisms, and work together to promote the mental health development of college students.

Keywords: Short Videos; College Students; Anxiety; Sleep Quality; Sense of Reality and Emptiness
Published: July 22, 2026
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2026.HT35468
Volume: CHR Vol.113
pp. 130-136
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