Your Phone Is DESTROYING Your Brain—Here's How to Fight Back

By Dr. Scott Olson, ND Posted June 12, 2025

Ever notice how—after a day of bouncing between your phone, computer, and TV—your brain feels like it’s been stuffed with cotton?

You may struggle to remember what you need at the store, fumble for words, or stare blankly at your crossword puzzle.

It’s not because you’re getting older—it’s what your devices are doing to your brain…

You’re experiencing a digital hangover.

It’s a sort of mental fuzziness that follows too much screen time.

I first noticed my own digital hangovers a few years ago. After spending hours researching online, I’d feel exhausted but couldn’t pinpoint why.

My thinking was cloudy, my memory spotty, and my attention span comparable to that of a goldfish.

Sound familiar?

Our brains weren’t designed to handle the frenzied pace of online life. They evolved to process information at far slower speeds.

So, when we’re bombarded with notifications, videos, and endless scrolling, our minds become overwhelmed—inducing a sort of brain fog.

Digital overload affects us in several key ways:

• First, it exhausts our decision-making abilities. The average person makes over 35,000 decisions daily, and each click, swipe, and scroll adds to that tally. By evening, your brain’s decision-making center (the prefrontal cortex) is worn out.
• Second, screens disrupt our natural attention patterns. We evolved to focus intensely on one task at a time while maintaining peripheral awareness of our surroundings. But digital devices force our brains to rapidly switch focus—from email to text to social media—creating what neuroscientists call “attention residue,” where part of our brain remains stuck on the previous task.
• Third, the blue light from screens suppresses melatonin production. This disrupts sleep quality even when you get sufficient hours. Poor sleep equals poor cognitive function the next day.
• Finally, the constant dopamine hits from notifications, likes, and new information create addiction-like patterns in our brains, leaving us feeling mentally drained when we step away.

The good news is digital hangovers are reversible.

Here’s my personal recovery plan:

• Implement screen-free zones: My bedroom is completely device-free and I don’t allow screens in my reading nook. These physical boundaries help create mental ones.
• Practice the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This simple habit reduces eye strain and mental fatigue.
• Take “sensory reset” breaks: Step outside, feel the breeze, listen to birds, touch a plant. Natural sensory experiences help recalibrate an overstimulated brain.
• Batch your digital tasks: Check email twice daily rather than constantly. Handle social media in one dedicated session. Your brain will benefit from the focused work periods.
• Use “airplane mode” strategically: I put my phone in airplane mode for two hours each afternoon. The world survives, and I get my clearest thinking done during this time.
• Try a digital sunset: An hour before bed, all screens go off. I’ve replaced nighttime scrolling with reading physical books or listening to music, and my sleep has improved dramatically.
• Schedule regular digital detoxes: I dramatically reduce my screen time for one weekend a month. Even just 24 hours gives your brain a chance to reset its attention patterns.
• Get physical after screen sessions: A brisk walk, some gardening, or even simple stretches help move blood to your brain and clear the mental cobwebs.

The most counterintuitive tip? When you’re experiencing a digital hangover, resist the urge to veg out with more passive screen time. That actually prolongs the recovery period rather than helping your brain reset.

Remember, our generation grew up without these devices constantly demanding our attention. Our brains developed with space for daydreaming, contemplation, and just plain doing nothing—all of which are crucial for cognitive health.

We don’t have to give up our digital tools entirely. But we do need to put them in their place. After all, they should be enhancing our lives, not leaving us with a perpetual digital hangover.

P.S. Why your tech troubles might SAVE your brain.

Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND

Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.

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