Here’s how to stay connected while avoiding the cognitive damage of digital addiction

Screens aren’t inherently good or bad, says Dr. Sandra Bond Chapman, founder and chief director of the Center for Brain Health at The University of Texas at Dallas. They help us work, connect us to friends and family, and entertain us. They stimulate our brains by giving us instantaneous access to people and information from around the globe. Offloading work onto our technology frees us up to innovate, create new knowledge, and build meaningful relationships with others.

But we need to consider how we use this technology and how it affects us, and that’s where the concept of “brain health” comes in. Brain health involves continually optimizing the brain’s abilities to understand and process information and to promote well-being and connectedness. “The brain changes every moment of every day, depending on how we care for it and how we use it,” Chapman says. “How we operate our brain can result in brain gains or losses, so we have tremendous opportunities to design the brain we want. It’s about cultivating brain skills, adopting brain-healthy daily habits that help us thrive, and reducing toxic brain habits.”

In Chapman’s experience, people are often surprised to learn that media multitasking, or rapidly switching between multiple platforms, is counterproductive. “The conventional belief is that technology builds greater brain skills and promotes efficiency by facilitating media multitasking,” she says. “We think we can hop between various tasks, emails, social media, and work responsibilities. But research demonstrates just how false this belief is.” Media multitasking increases our mental fatigue; impairs focus, concentration, and executive functions like problem-solving; and restricts the depth of our understanding and retention of consumed material.

At the center, Chapman and her colleagues teach strategies that prime the brain to get stronger and work better. They report that participants experience some of the most immediate brain gains when they stop media multitasking—or any multitasking, for that matter. When people monitor their own behavior and focus on one task at a time, they soon notice the benefits of more mental energy, improved output, increased efficiency, and even better sleep.

“Multitasking is to the brain like cigarette smoking is to the lungs,” Chapman says. “And it may be even more devastating in the near term.”

Online platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Reddit employ an interface design strategy called “infinite scroll” or “endless scroll,” which continually loads new posts. They offer endless streams of algorithmically curated content to capture and keep users’ attention.

“Whether it’s a game, social media, or a news site, make no mistake: The platform is designed to keep you on it,” Chapman says, adding that chemicals like dopamine and adrenaline are released when we see content that elicits strong emotions. “What is that doing to your brain? When you’re a passive observer rather than an engaged participant, you miss important opportunities to exercise your brain. Your brain can become addicted to the next ping of dopamine or adrenaline, leading to even more scrolling. This leads to superficial thinking rather than inspiring us to exchange ideas and understand different perspectives. It keeps you stuck in an artificial environment instead of engaging in the real world around you.”

Karen Restifo, an executive dean at Texas Christian University’s School of Medicine, agrees that digital devices can be a double-edged sword. They can offer students respite from the demands of medical school, but they can also be a distraction. “It’s great when students use their phones to quickly look up terms during lectures or connect with their families and friends,” she says. “But when they’re scrolling, they’re not reading in depth or stepping back and looking at the big picture. They’re just scrolling, scrolling, scrolling.”

Speaking anecdotally, she said she’s concerned that students’ screen use might be impacting their ability to focus for long periods of time and absorb information. “They’re very smart and they read a lot, but they often don’t have the experience of sitting down and reading a whole book,” she says. “So it’s like a marathon. We have to train them to read for long periods of time, like training them to run.”

Given the uncertainties and increasing concerns surrounding digital distraction, Chapman recommends taking proactive steps to reduce our dependence on devices and maintain or regain control of our attention. “Is your technology, especially your cell phone, your ‘adult pacifier’ that is hard to take away from you?” she asks. “We get anxious when we don’t have ready access to our technology. But our constant use of it increases our anxiety.”

She suggests silencing alerts and notifications while doing focused work, periodically taking a few minutes away from all technology to let the brain reset and recharge, and carving out entire days or several hours for “digital detox,” or staying completely away from phones, watches, and other tech.

Ultimately, digital interactions should be deliberate and on our own terms. “When you choose to use a device, instead of mindlessly scrolling, pause on a topic and reflect on it,” she says. “Is there a connection to your own life or experience? Can you think of a different perspective or possibility?”

Work and study environments can encourage brain-healthy habits. Chapman offers these recommendations:

✓  Create tech-free zones in common spaces and other gathering spots

✓  Construct biophilic spaces with access to windows and natural light

✓  Build brain-recharge stations like the one at UT Dallas to remind students to take a brain break

✓  Encourage in-person meetings in spaces that are designed for collaboration

✓  Provide a secure place for meeting or study group participants to leave their cell phones so they can be more fully present