Jakarta, goldensamoyed Indonesia
—
Scroll for a moment, then stop.Have you ever felt a little
tired
, dizziness, or
restless
after an hour of watching Reels, Shorts or TikTok?
Recent studies show that the ‘tired brain’ sensation is not just a feeling.The habit of consuming short videos excessively can have a real impact on brain capacity and mental health.
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT
The brain becomes ‘addicted to speed’
Research entitled Feeds, Feelings, and Focus published in Psychological Bulletin analyzed 71 studies with nearly 100 thousand participants.The results were consistent, the more often someone watched short videos with an endless scrolling pattern, the more likely they were to experience decreased ability to focus, impaired memory, and weakened impulse control.
Of all the cognitive functions studied, attention is the aspect that is most affected.Heavy viewers of short videos tend to be more easily distracted and have a harder time resisting impulsive urges.
This study also explains why short videos have such a powerful effect on the brain.Its fast-paced, emotional and surprising format triggers repeated dopamine spikes, making the brain always look forward to new stimuli.
Over time, slower activities like reading, writing, or doing deep work feel harder and less interesting.The brain gets used to an ‘instant reward’ pattern and has difficulty dealing with slower rhythms.This effect doesn’t just attack teenagers, adults are just as susceptible.
Stress, anxiety, and disturbed sleep
Apart from affecting focus, intense use of short videos is also linked to increased stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness and decreased mental well-being.
Many people actually watch short videos because they feel depressed, so this relationship turns into a difficult cycle, watching to feel better, but excessive consumption actually makes the emotional condition worse.
Sleep disturbances are also a consequence.The habit of watching before bed, aided by blue light from screens and endless content stimulation is associated with decreasing sleep quality.
Lack of sleep ultimately interferes with clarity of thinking and worsens mood.
Even so, the researchers do not recommend stopping completely.What’s important is to recognize the signs that your brain is starting to get overwhelmed, such as difficulty focusing, getting easily irritated after scrolling for a long time, a constant urge to open apps, or increasingly restless sleep.
If that happens, it may be time to give yourself a break, either by reducing usage, limiting the time before bed, or replacing some screen consumption with quieter activities.
(tis/tis)
[Gambas:goldensamoyed Video]
Read More: Hong Kong apartment fire commotion caused by cigarette butts, is it true?
