The mental load of being online: Why our brains need more quiet time

You didn’t do much today, but somehow, you’re still drained.

You’ve been “resting” at home, maybe scrolling your phone, jumping between tabs, watching random clips.

No chaos. No heavy lifting. So why does your mind feel like it just ran a marathon?

It’s because even when your body is at rest, your brain is busy.

Being online, even when it doesn’t feel intense, is mentally demanding.

Every ping, notification, post, or message pulls on your attention. And the more you scroll, the heavier it starts to feel.

What most of us are carrying isn’t physical, it’s the invisible weight of being always on.

What is cognitive overload?

Ever feel like your brain is juggling too many things at once, even though you haven’t really “done” anything?

That’s cognitive overload. It happens when your brain is trying to take in more information than it can handle.

Think of it like having 37 tabs open in your head, all playing audio at the same time.

When we’re online, we’re exposed to so much, texts, tweets, memes, voice notes, breaking news, updates from people we haven’t seen in years.

It’s too much, too fast. Our minds were never built to absorb that much at once.

Instead of feeling recharged after time online, we often come out of it feeling overstimulated, foggy, and tired.

So if you’re wondering why you’re so tired even after a “rest day,” this might be why.

Your brain hasn’t had a real break.

Why being “always on” is so draining

You might be thinking, “But I wasn’t doing anything intense; I was just on my phone.”

But being online is no longer passive.

Every few seconds you’re making tiny decisions: should I respond?

Should I comment? Should I be doing more with my life like this person?

These micro-decisions build up.

You end up multitasking emotionally, mentally, and sometimes even physically, switching between DMs, comparing yourself without realising it, absorbing bad news, and pretending it’s not affecting you. But it is.

Here in Tanzania, especially among young people juggling school, work, and side hustles, the pressure to stay connected is real.

You’re expected to respond quickly, stay informed, and stay visible, but that pressure comes at a cost.

And beyond that, there’s the cultural mind-set that rest is only for the “idle.”

If you’re not visibly busy, it’s assumed you’re lazy.

So we try to stay productive even during our breaks.

We scroll instead of actually resting, because at least scrolling looks like something.

Signs your brain is overstimulated

• You feel tired even after a “chill” day

 • You can’t focus or retain simple information

 • You feel anxious or irritated for no real reason

 • You scroll for hours and still feel unsettled

 • You avoid silence, even when you crave rest

 None of this means something is wrong with you.

It just means your brain is overstimulated, and it’s trying to tell you it needs a break.

The illusion of rest

Let’s be real. Most of us treat social media like a break.

“Let me just scroll to relax.”

But scrolling isn’t rest, it’s just redirected attention.

Your brain is still busy processing.

That’s why hours can pass and you still feel tired, maybe even worse than when you started.

Real rest is quiet. It’s intentional.

It’s allowing yourself to do nothing, and being okay with that.

Studies in psychology show that mental stillness improves memory, emotional control, and even creativity.

When we allow our minds to just be, we actually become more grounded, focused, and resilient.

So no, you’re not being lazy. You’re letting your brain reset, which is exactly what it needs.

How to protect your mental bandwidth

1. Create “no input” moments

Start small. Ten minutes of silence. A walk without your phone.

A few minutes sitting outside, doing absolutely nothing.

Give your brain space to breathe.

2. Be selective about what you let in

Not every piece of content deserves your attention.

Mute or unfollow anything that drains you.

Fill your feed with things that uplift you, not things that make you feel behind or not good enough.

3. Set boundaries with your tech

Turn off notifications you don’t need.

Try putting your phone on “Do Not Disturb” for a while each day.

Keep your phone away from your bed at night.

These little changes protect your peace.

4. Reconnect with the present

Do more things that bring you back into your body – journaling, stretching, cooking without a podcast, listening to music without checking your phone.

These are the kinds of activities that calm your nervous system.

5. Let yourself be bored

You don’t always have to be doing something. Let your mind wander.

That’s when creativity and self-reflection show up. 

6. Make time for offline moments

Spend time with people without documenting it. Go for a walk without sharing it.

Be present in your own life. It sounds simple, but it’s surprisingly grounding.

7. Check in with yourself

Before picking up your phone, ask: “What am I actually feeling right now?”

Are you tired? Anxious? Avoiding something?

Sometimes, just naming the feeling helps release it.

We don’t always realise how loud the world is until we finally get a moment of silence.

The truth is, our minds were never meant to absorb this much, this fast, all the time.

If you’re feeling tired, foggy, or out of it, you’re not imagining things.

Your brain is asking for some space.

You don’t have to disappear or delete all your apps. But you do have to be intentional.

Give yourself permission to unplug. To slow down. To rest in ways that actually feel restful.

Because protecting your mental energy isn’t about disconnection, it’s about coming back to yourself.