We live in a time when information never stops. News alerts, messages, opinions, and updates appear before we even have the chance to digest the last one. What was once a stream of information has become a flood, and while it keeps us connected, it’s also quietly reshaping how we feel, think, and relate to one another.
If you’ve noticed yourself feeling tense after scrolling through the news, confused by conflicting headlines, or emotionally drained after a few minutes online, you’re not alone. Increasingly, research is showing that information overload, and particularly exposure to misinformation, can directly affect our mental wellbeing.
The rise of digital distress
A 2025study from the University of Amsterdam found that repeated exposure to misinformation online was linked to higher levels of anxiety, low mood, and emotional exhaustion. Participants who encountered conflicting or false information multiple times a day reported more confusion and feelings of hopelessness, especially when they struggled to identify what was true.
Similarly, research from Stanford University’s Digital Health Lab highlighted that constant exposure to emotionally charged content (even if accurate) triggers heightened activity in the brain’s amygdala - the region responsible for detecting threat. When we scroll through a feed filled with crisis, outrage, and uncertainty, our nervous system reacts as though we’re under constant stress.
What this means is that even when we’re sitting safely at home, our bodies can experience the same physiological arousal as if we were in danger. Over time, that sustained activation can lead to fatigue, irritability, and difficulty concentrating- classic signs of digital stress.
The psychology of uncertainty
At the heart of this issue lies a basic human need: our brains crave predictability.When information is inconsistent, contradictory, or unreliable, it generates uncertainty, and uncertainty activates our threat response system.
In small doses, that alertness can be useful. But when it’s constant, our bodies remain on high alert. Psychologists sometimes describe this as being in a state of“ambient anxiety” - a low-level tension that hums in the background of daily life. It’s not always dramatic or obvious, but it can erode our sense of safety and stability.
Compounding this is what researchers call information fatigue. When we consume too much information too quickly, our cognitive resources become depleted. We find it harder to think critically, regulate our emotions, or separate fact from opinion. As one cognitive scientist put it, “we confuse the feeling of being informed with the act of understanding.”
When the brain can’t rest
Neuroscientific research shows that every time we switch between tasks, like checking notifications, reading headlines, and scanning comments, our attention system resets. This rapid shifting releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that rewards us for novelty, but it also fragments our focus.
Over time, the result can be what psychologists term attentional erosion — a reduced ability to sustain focus and tolerate stillness. Many people now describe feeling restless even in moments of quiet, as though their minds have become tuned to a perpetual hum of incoming data.
This pattern can contribute to symptoms of anxiety and emotional depletion. When our attention is constantly pulled outward, we lose touch with our inner signals -the subtle cues that help us know what we need, what we feel, and when to pause.
Finding steadiness amid the noise
We can’t turn off the world, but we can learn to filter it more consciously. The goal isn’t to disconnect entirely, but to create a healthier relationship with information, one that protects our mental space and restores a sense of agency.
Here are some small, evidence-informed steps that can help:
- Curate your inputs
Choose a handful of trusted, balanced news sources. Misinformation spreads fastest on emotionally charged platforms; reducing exposure reduces emotional contagion. - Notice your body’s response
Before sharing or reacting to something online, pause. Notice your breath, shoulders, or jaw. If your body feels tight, that’s a sign to step back before engaging. - Set intentional limits
Check the news at specific times rather than in fragments throughout the day. A morning or evening window can reduce constant background stress. - Reintroduce depth
Replace short, repetitive scrolling with longer-form reading or listening. Depth helps the brain integrate information, reducing the feeling of fragmentation. - Ground in the physical world
After consuming heavy or distressing content, do something sensory: make tea, go for a short walk, or notice five things in your environment. This signals safety to the nervous system. - Reflect, don’t react
Ask yourself: Does engaging with this content help me feel more informed, or more overwhelmed? Awareness is the first step toward choice.
The mindful mind
The paradox of the digital age is that the more connected we become, the more we must guard the quiet spaces of our inner world. Information isn’t the enemy, but the constant, chaotic flow of it can drown out our capacity to process, rest, and think clearly.
It helps to remember that our attention is a limited resource. What we choose to focus on shapes not only what we know, but how we feel. Protecting that focus, through boundaries, reflection, and compassion, is a form of emotional hygiene as vital as sleep or nutrition.
As the Stanford researchers wrote, “Mental wellbeing in the information age may depend less on what we know, and more on what we allow ourselves not to know.”