We Are Living in the Era of Information Overload, And It’s Impacting Our Health
At some point in the not so distant past, people arguably led simpler lives. They had access to a steady source of information, through mediums like a daily newspaper or a collection of books. They may have read newspapers in the morning, or tuned into the radio in the afternoon. In all cases, consuming information was not a central theme in the days of most people. Fast forward to today, we can argue that consuming information has become a central theme for many of us.
According to research conducted by the International Data Corporation, 80% of people check their smartphones within the first 15 minutes of waking up. If the very first thing we wake up to is information, not the natural world, or other humans, or even ourselves, but pure information, then we’re likely suffering from information overload. A number of research studies suggest that information overload has a negative impact on our health. It can cause brain fatigue, stress, decrease our capacity to focus on important tasks, and lead to indecision.
The author of “The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload” Daniel Levitin, elaborately describes the neuroscience behind this modern problem. The brain is a complex organ that works in specific ways. According to Levitin, the constant switch…
