Experts are sounding the alarm that spending prolonged time on social media and gadgets leads to “brain overload.” Staring at screens, we are “literally frying our brains.”
Why do modern technologies turn our brains into “popcorn”?
Experts compare the brain’s reaction to continuous screen stimulation to how corn kernels transform into fluffy white popcorn. In our brains, this “popping” is a metaphor representing the activity triggered by the bombardment of information from electronic devices. As a result, the fast-paced and fragmented nature of social networks and the online world, rich in information, can drive our brains to “madness.”
Mental health specialist, Harvard University associate, Dr. Aditi Nerurkar explains: stress and the flow of bad news feed our “primitive desire to scroll through pages in search of danger.”
What can you do to unload your brain?
“It’s hard to disconnect from what’s happening online because there is a constant flow of information, and it’s hard to live fully autonomously when life flows much slower,” commented Dr. Nerurkar. However, people don’t need to become “digital monks” and abstain from screens forever; it’s enough to set digital boundaries, advises the doctor.
“Our brain gets used to fast, intense flows of information and instant pleasure,” comments neurobiologist from New York University, Dr. Wendy Suzuki. Over time, the “popcorn brain” can lead to cognitive impairments, such as reduced attention span, anxiety, and productivity, warns the expert.
Dr. Suzuki recommends taking a break from gadgets at least once a week and dedicating time to favorite non-digital hobbies – reading, drawing, listening to music, playing instruments, or exercising.