If you’re finding it hard to focus, feel a bit low and have a memory like a sieve, chances are you need a break – a screen break. Brain rot, the colloquial term used to describe excessive consumption of low-quality online content, particularly short videos on social media, has become so mainstream that it was voted Oxford Dictionary’s Word of the Year for 2024. And all that doom-scrolling, scouring negative news stories online or on apps, is clearly doing no favours for our health.
“It’s that sense of running on empty, our brains aren’t functioning the way they should. Content demands and digital distractions are leaving us feeling mentally burnt out,” says Dr Elena Touroni, a consultant psychologist and the co-founder of The Chelsea Psychology Clinic.
Dr Touroni likens a brain under stress to a computer with too many tabs open – it slows down, overheats and struggles to function effectively, she says. This can affect our performance at school, university or work and can lead to relationship issues and struggles with mental health and addictions.
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“It’s like fast food – we used to have to hunt and gather and it’s the same with information,” says Dr Vigneshwar Paleri, a clinical psychologist specialising in neuropsychology at the London Neurocognitive Clinic. “Now we can get it whenever we want through artificial intelligence or video content, and our brains are suffering. The brain actually prefers focused, intellectual engagement. If we want to keep them healthy, we need to be aware of this and change our behaviour accordingly.”
What is brain rot?
While not a clinical diagnosis, the term “brain rot” captures the burnt out feeling that follows an online scrolling session. “The brain is exposed to far more information and demands than it can handle without proper breaks, which over time leads to difficulty concentrating, poor memory and emotional exhaustion,” Dr Touroni explains.
We know it is not good for us but find it difficult to stop ourselves, according to Paleri, as digital media traps us in a dopamine reward system, with each ‘like’, share, or engaging article triggering the brain to release the feel good hormone, dopamine. “Clicking on a funny short video or interesting headline gives a dopamine hit, but this content is so quickly digestible that you instantly want another, so you keep scrolling, creating a feedback loop.”
In the short term, we feel happy and engaged, but in the long term this kind of dopamine-driven behaviour affects critical thinking and higher order cognitive function. “If our attention is constantly interrupted, we begin to struggle with longer form tasks,” he continues. “It’s interesting how younger people often struggle to watch a movie from the Sixties – it requires too much time and patience.”
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Doom scrolling also impairs our memory and ability to solve problems, Dr Paleri warns, as we’re constantly living in our limbic brain which processes emotions. A 2018 study by psychologists at Stanford University found that those who engage with multiple social media platforms at once perform worse on memory tasks. “The hippocampus, the part of our brain that creates and retains new memories, is not stimulated by repetitive content,” he says. We’re also not using our prefrontal cortex, which deals with future planning, problem solving and personality development.
Why does brain rot make me feel so miserable?
The feelings of dissatisfaction and depression captured by the term “brain rot” are the result of cognitive stagnation, Dr Paleri says. “In my practice I’ve observed that cognitive stagnation can lead to emotional stagnation,” he says. “In longer TV shows and films we find ourselves relating to the characters and their behaviour, but in YouTube shorts and other short form content we don’t feel any affinity – after the dopamine has disappeared we can be left feeling lonely and dissatisfied. In the long run scrolling makes you feel worse as well as impairing your memory and brain function.”
What kind of behaviour leads to brain rot?
Doom scrolling your way through a meeting, using a messenger app while listening to a podcast, or checking your Instagram or news app while watching a film, are all red flags, according to Dr Paleri. You’re overstimulating your brain and could start suffering the symptoms of brain rot. “If you’re doing a task, really focus on it; if you keep your mind super active all the time it’s going to suffer.” Binging on content or staying up late into the night watching rubbish on Netflix, is another red flag, according to Dr Paleri. “Digital content never runs out or ends – if you can’t turn it off, you have a problem.”
Can the damage be reversed?
A digital detox with no access to your favourite platforms is the most effective way to reset brain function and improve emotional wellbeing, but this is easier said than done given that our screens are how we work and socialise, Dr Paleri says. If we want to improve how we think and how we feel we need to recognise our negative scrolling patterns – be it gorging on social media, news sites or games – and understand the effect they are having on our brains.
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Then we should look to reform the way we use those platforms: taking active breaks, setting time limits, and using digital media in the context of other activities: cognitive development, hobbies, research rather than simply “doom scrolling”.
Try to use your preferred platforms more mindfully, Dr Paleri suggests. If you’re addicted to news sites, try to pick up a physical newspaper – this way you won’t be tempted down rabbit holes of negative scrolling behaviour. Likewise, if you’re addicted to a Candy Crush-type game, mix it up by working on chess openings or more complicated Sudokus that stimulate the brain intellectually.
Remember that the brain does not like repetitive or meaningless content.
“Try to regard scrolling as learning – you should be looking for cognitive stimulation, not quick-fire dopamine hits which leave you feeling depleted or depressed,” Dr Paleri says. Also try to give multitasking a rest – if you make a conscious effort to focus on one news story or social media platform at once, you’ll engage the hippocampus and improve memory function. “Unsubscribing from notifications will allow you to do this,” Dr Paleri continues.
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Incorporating mindfulness or meditation into your day can help quiet mental clutter,” adds Dr Touroni. “Don’t underestimate the power of simple activities like going for a walk, reading a book, or even just taking five minutes to pause and breathe. Recovery is about giving your brain the space to slow down and reset.”
Sleep hygiene is also crucial to improving brain function, she adds; the brain uses sleep time to repair itself, so prioritising good sleep is essential.
Can brain rot have serious medical implications?
As yet, there is little research into the long-term impact of brain rot but there is a high chance it could raise the risk of addictions in the future. “We know that certain addictions such as drug, alcohol and pornography have been rising over the past two decades – it’s likely that easy media is a contributor,” Dr Paleri says.
How do I protect my brain from ‘brain rot’?
As with chocolate and sweets, digital stimulation isn’t harmful in moderation, Dr Paleri says. The key is to follow a healthy digital diet, taking regular screen breaks and carving out tech-free spaces in the day, Dr Touroni agrees.
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We should also aim to promote brain health by eating healthily and mindfully (no screens at the dinner table), and taking time to exercise which increases blood flow to the brain. “The more we rely on tech, the more sedentary we are,” Dr Paleri points out. “It’s about noticing the impact of digital media on our brain and finding a way to relieve stress. A bath. A walk with a friend. Small screen-free pauses make a big difference to how your brain works and how you feel.”