This week, we’re taking a closer look at how screens are affecting our mental energy.

Every day, we’re surrounded by screens. We work in front of our computers, scroll on our phones, and watch Netflix when we get home.

But how is all this screen time really impacting our mental energy?

I had a pretty good idea about it myself, but actually became a bit I surprised while going through the litterature.

⚡ Screens lead to mental fatigue

EEG, heart rate, and self-reports all show that online meetings and prolonged computer use drain our mental energy.

📱 Scrolling isn’t a break, it’s another drain

Studies show that short-form feeds like TikTok, and even general smartphone use, impair vigilance, memory, and inhibition ability.

In a study by Riedl et al. (2023), the authors wanted to test how attending meetings online affects our cognitive resources.

35 young adults attended the same lecture twice: once in person and once as an online video conference.

The researchers used a within-subject design, meaning that very participant experienced both formats of the lecture in a randomized order.

Since the lecture content was identical and all participants completed both versions, the researchers could largely isolate the effect of the lecture format and exclude other variables.

They measured EEG and ECG activity, along with ERP responses (attention-related brain signals), before, after and during the lectures respectively.

The results showed markers of increased mental fatigue after the online lecture compared to the real world version.

EEG measures showed increases in theta and alpha brainwaves, which in this case are related to  mental fatigue. These increases were more pronounced in videoconferencing.

Likewise, ERP changes tied to fatigue where more pronounced after the online lacture.

In regards to the ECG, videoconferencing led to lower heart rate and higher HRV, which are both linked to fatigue through the autonomic nervous system.

Moreover, self-reports from participants, confirmed that participants felt more tired, drowsy, and less lively after videoconferencing than after face-to-face lectures.

The authors describe that video conferencing might be more mentally draining, as it is harder to concentrate when participants are missing key nonverbal cues.

That video meetings may be more tiring than physical meetings is a real challenge to our mental energy.

Especially since so much of our modern workday is already spent in front of a computer.

Zhang et al. (2008) confirmed that prolonged work on a computer screen leads to mental fatigue.

Using EEG, heart rate variability, and ERP, these authors showed clear signs of reduced cognitive processing and increased sleepiness after two hours of continuous work in on screens.

Their results showed measurable changes in brain activity and autonomic nervous system functioning.

Although these results were not compared to work that did not involve a computer screen, they still show that continuous, concentrated work in front of a screen leads to mental fatigue.

And this, I believe, is how many of us spend our working day.

What may be even more problematic is how we choose to break up our periods of concentrated work.

In a study by Chiossi et al. (2023), participants were given a 10-minute break between two work sessions.

During this break they either rested, scrolled Twitter, watched YouTube, or browsed TikTok.

The authors of that study found that TikTok use led to a clear drop in performance on remembering and executing planned actions.

In contrast, neither Twitter nor YouTube use in breaks, resultet in a measurable decline in these performance measures.

The results suggest that short-form, rapid-switching video feeds have a unique effect on mental energy.

In this study, where participants completed mental tasks before and after viewing, it seems that the short-form, rapidly switching video feed is simply more mentally draining.

Moreover, in a study by Jacquet et al. (2023), 80 participants were split into two groups. One group used their smartphones freely for 45 minutes, while the other watched a neutral documentary for the same period of time.

Cognitive performance was tested before and after using either a Psychomotor Vigilance Task or a Go/NoGo task, measuring vigilance and inhibition-abilities respectively.

Both groups reported feeling more fatigued and drowsy after the respective interventions.

But only the smartphone group showed impaired performance: slower reaction times on the vigilance test and more errors in the inhibition task.

The study concludes that acute smartphone use reduces important cognitive abilities of vigilance and inhibition.

On the other side, watching a documentary does not impair performance, although it did increase subjective feelings of mental fatigue. 

I believe that many of us have a tendency to pull up our phone when we need to disengage a few minutes from straining cognitive work.

I at least know that I do sometimes. 

But, it sems like this is not so much a break, as it is yet another activity that drain our mental energy.

Therefore, it is no wonder that we feel exhausted after our 8-10+ hours in the office - good luck going home and continuing on your hoppy project, or engaging an a meaningful quality conversation.

Instead, we should simply relax or do a breath-focused mediation, as this is shown to acutely increase cognitive abilities - likely by refilling mental energy.

All in all, it seems that the extensive use of digital screens in our modern work life can be problematic.

Use of social media is draining.

And when we turn to formats with rapidly switching videos, we may actually be putting additional strain on our mental energy.

Moreover, sitting in front of a screen in deep concentration for prolonged periods of time, also depletes our energy.

And choosing the convenient online meeting over a physical one, can add further unnecessary strain.

Therefore, I believe it’s important to recognize these potential mental energy drainers, and start making small habit shifts in our workday.

This will be another step towards better managing our mental energy and ultimately get more out of the time we spend both at work and outside of it…

Perform better in business, avoid burnout and be more for our loved ones.

_{Disclaimer: The above is mainly based on the 4 articles mentioned in the beginning of this newsletter, and aims to provide key takeaways and a condensed overview of its content. While the essence is drawn from the original articles, some parts have been simplified or rephrased to enhance understanding. Please note that we at, OptiMindInsights or any other potential writers or contributors to our summaries, do not accept responsibility for any consequences arising from the use of these summaries and/or newsletters as a whole. The information provided should not be considered a substitute for personal research or professional advice. Readers are encouraged to consult the original articles 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. We refer to the creative commons for reproducibility rights.}