Drowning out the noise. The curious case of information overload.

What is the first thing you do when you wake up? Do you soak in the quiet mornings? A glass of lemon water?
For me my friends - it's a tall, cold drink of Instagram posts. After all, I need to catch up! I need to see that 10th pet post, don't I? I need to see the recycled memes and I need to see the ‘much-needed vacation’ posts. I need to, you know? Only I don't. Now that got me thinking. What is this information dump doing to us? Is this sensory overload impacting our functioning? It is.

Sensory overload
Let me begin with a clarification. Sensory overload, is when one or more of our senses receive more input than they can process. And even though - anyone can experience it, it is more common and severe in those with other sensory processing disorders. So, not a term to be thrown around lightly. (Remember when OCD was casually used as a synonym for ‘oh! I am soooo organised’ ?)
That being said, we all at some point can experience it and probably have. One of the most common forms that we do experience it in is - information overload. And also, the focus of this read. One sense at a time, people. Bear with me as I try not to overwhelm you with a read that focuses on how overwhelming information consumption can be.  

Maybe it started sometime after the invention of printing or sometime during the cognitive revolution. But definitely, there was a time when our collective zeitgeist was altered. It only got more saturated as time progressed. With this renewed focus on quick information sources. Apps that can give you the summary for an entire book in under 60 seconds. 10-second vignettes for entertainment. Apps to read you your affirmations in the morning while you get ready in the morning for work - stuffing the breakfast sandwich with one hand, stuffing your work bag with the other all while catching up with the headlines. But what did we truly retain in this ordeal? Anxiety, irritability, light and sound sensitivity, a spike in excitement levels - feeling all around overwhelmed - this may just be your mind trying to tell you to hit pause. It’s not an uncommon phenomenon. It’s not new. But it is often disregarded.

Cognitive fallout
How much can the mind retain? How does the brain filter out the noise? You probably didn't need a study on the numbing effects of social media, information overload on our brain, and the fatigue it brings with it - but there is - plenty of them! ( talk about information dump). Isn't opening a social media app analogous to opening floodgates? An excessive amount of social media activity exhausts the brain causing it to slow down. That would explain why you went from your bedroom to the car and somehow miraculously drove yourself all the way to work but yet cannot recall all the steps. Are we at our very core just machines with a consciousness? Is this the matrix?

In stark contrast to what hustle culture propagates - multitasking and a gung-ho approach to life is too heavy a foot on the productivity pedal and accelerates cortisol, stress, and adrenaline levels. You can only imagine what coming down from such a high would feel like. It's a crash. Accompanied with brain fog and scrambled thoughts. Not one that can ever be good in the long run. Perhaps it's time to revisit the rabbit and turtle fable. Slow and steady, all the way.

Also read | 'Social media is not real,' writes supermodel Bella Hadid alongside crying selfies

Privilege and the choice to disconnect
And here is where I thought I had cracked the code - a digital detox! Only I hadn't. To no one’s surprise.
How practical is it to disconnect? Can we afford to? Do we not as a people - who have been granted the choice and the resources - have a responsibility to not be insufferable, ignorant, and oblivious? We do.
Also, how do we tackle the FoMo that comes with it? Glad you asked!
Turns out that there is something known as the FoMo scale. Studies have found nil to moderate effects of digital detox on the reduction of FOMO scores.
A 2019 study by the University of Otago, New Zealand found that people with mild-to-moderate anxiety and depression symptoms were able to improve their sleep quality significantly. The same study also recorded an improvement in overall mental well-being after a 7-day digital detox. Wait! So, you can unplug and .... be .. just fine?
Now of course a 7-day digital detox may not be a practical choice for most of us. On that my fellow girls, guys, and non-binaries, I'd like to say do what you have to. But do it intentionally. Take in information. But mindfully. A digital detox can help rewire your brain to focus on what is important. On a single task. A digital detox has a lot of definitions. Whatever you choose to go with, it is not an ambassadorial event. It's just a period of abstinence from ubiquitous electronic devices and social media, special features, the barrage of articles, branded content, and instant messaging. The list is long. Unless you have hundreds of dollars to shell out for a dip in sensory deprivation tanks - it will have to start with a life audit. See how much time you’re spending on each of these. Identity what invokes the most stress and worry. Start with a half an hour break a day.

And as is the case with everything else in life - soon you will figure out what works for you.

Balance is key. And tuning out - is okay!