How screen time is stressing you

Last week, we looked at how chronic stress can lead to changes in the brain and mind, and how that can hurt both performance and well-being.

But stress isn’t just about too much work or a tight schedule. Sure, that can be part of it (I feel it too), but actually, it’s like the whole world is built to stress us.

So many things fight for our attention.

And that slowly drain our mental energy.

One of the big factors in the lives of young ambitious professionals like us, is screen time. Especially our phones—always there, always ready to “engage” us.

Although I couldn’t find a study on screen time and long-term stress in people our age, I did find an interesting one on kids. The study looks at the awakening cortisol spike, which is linked to stress in people our age, for example here.

Today’s insights is drawn from the scientific article: 

“Salivary Cortisol in Relation to the Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in School-Aged Children”

Today's newsletter

• Takeaways:

• The study in a nutshell:

• What they did:

• What the authors found out:

• What can we learn from this study?

• Quick Answers to Your Top of Mind Questions

Takeaways:

🖥️ Screen time could be influencing our long-term stress

The study shows that in this sample, screen time is correlated with morning cortisol response, which is an important indicator of stress.

🧑‍💻 Tech feels productive and Netflix feels relaxing, but dont be sure

Even if the screen time is work-related and feels productive or is meant to wind you down, too much screen engagement may silently drain your resources.

📚 Read a book at night

Screen time - possibly regardless of the type and form - may influence how your HPA-axis works. So, instead of winding down with Netflix after a full day of work, read a book to avoid screen time that last hour before bed

The study in a nutshell:

This study explored how prolonged use of what is referred to as “Information and Communication Technology (ICT)” affects stress regulation in children.

This was done by analyzing their salivary cortisol levels throughout the day.

ICT here, is a broad term for use of mbile phone, video games and internet browsing.

Seventy-two children provided saliva samples at five intervals throughout the day after reporting their ICT usage from the previous day.

The results showed that children who spent around three hours on ICT exhibited a lower cortisol awakening response (CAR) compared to those with minimal or no ICT use.

A low CAR is generally considered a sign of chronic stress or a dysregulated stress responses, often associated with cognitive fatigue or prolonged mental strain.

What they did:

What the authors found out:

The “Low ICT usage” group used their electronic devices for less than an hour.

The “High ICT usage” group used their electronic devices for an average of around 3 hours.

The study found that children in the “High ICT usage” group had a significantly lower cortisol awakening response (CAR) compared to those in the low-use group.

But, the overall cortisol levels throughout the day did not differ significantly between the groups, which indicates that while ICT use affected the body's ability to produce a strong stress response in the morning, it did not lead to sustained changes in cortisol secretion later in the day.

These findings remained consistent after accounting for differences in pubertal status, depressive symptoms, and sleep duration.

What can we learn from this study?

The findings suggest that prolonged ICT use may contribute to stress-related changes in cortisol regulation.

A lower cortisol awakening response (CAR), as was observed in the “High ICT usage” group, is typically linked to chronic stress, cognitive fatigue, or dysregulated HPA-axis activity—the body's central stress response system, that we also spoke about last week.

Normally, cortisol levels naturally rise in the morning, in order to help us wake up and prepare for the day.

If this morning increase in cortisol (CAR) is weak, it may indicate that the HPA axis is not functioning properly. This can happen when someone experiences prolonged stress.

One possible explanation for the lower CAR in the “High ICT usage” group is “directed attention fatigue” —a state where prolonged focus depletes the brain’s ability to concentrate.

ICT activities demand constant cognitive engagement—processing information, making rapid decisions, and responding to stimuli—without results in less breaks for the brain.

This continuous strain can lead to mental exhaustion.

Moreover, ICT usage often involves high stimulating, faced-paced interactions, and emotionally engaging content, contributing to mental overload and delayed recovery. Unlike activities like reading, ICT keeps the brain in a heightened state of arousal.

So for us, I think its important to note, that these children properly didn’t feel like the ICT was mentally demanding – much like you properly don’t feel Instagram scrolling or binging Netflix is demanding. But the brain might feel different.

Start being mindful of your ICT usage, and reduce it where you can.

I spend hours and hours on me laptop each day for work, so I know it’s though.

But I promise myself that the last hour of winding down before bed isn’t spent watching Netflix, but by reading a book (phone on flight mode) - that’s one concrete thing you can do today to start balancing your ICT usage.  

Quick Answers to Your Top of Mind Questions

🙋‍♀️  If I don’t feel stressed using tech, why should I care about my cortisol response?

Even if ICT use feels enjoyable, it can still disrupt your body’s stress regulation system. A blunted morning cortisol response suggests chronic low-level strain, which can lead to fatigue over time.

_{Disclaimer: The above summary is based on the non-open-access study 'Salivary Cortisol in Relation to the Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in School-Aged Children' by Wallenius et al. (2010). It aims to provide a general discussion of the findings, rewritten in simpler terms. This is not a replacement for the original study, and for full details, readers should refer to the original publication. The study was conducted on children, and while the cortisol awakening response is a relevant stress marker in adults, further research is needed to confirm whether similar effects apply. We do not claim ownership of the study’s findings, and this article should not be considered professional medical or scientific advice.}

_{Please note that we at, OptiMindInsights or any other potential writers or contributors to our content, do not accept responsibility for any consequences arising from the use of this content. The information provided should not be considered a substitute for personal research or professional advice. Readers are encouraged to consult the original article for detailed insights and references. The summary does not include references, but they can typically be found within the original publication. Always exercise due diligence and consider your unique circumstances before applying any information in your personal or professional life.}