Do you have Popcorn Brain?

Newsflash: the answer is probably yes

Photo by Adrian Cogua on Unsplash

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“Being an informed citizen is critical at all times – especially now – you have to be an informed citizen, but you have to create some digital boundaries so you’re protecting your sanity and protecting your mental health. There’s also other ways you can get involved by supporting various causes and donating and taking action.” – Dr. Aditi Nerurkar (Harvard stress expert and author of The 5 Resets on Diary of a CEO).

Do you find yourself getting easily distracted when you’re supposed to be focussing on a specific task?

Or experience your brain constantly jumping from one thing to another leaving you feeling wired yet fatigued and mentally overloaded?

Or maybe you find yourself doomscrolling online?

If any of this sounds like you then the chances are that you (like many of us) probably have popcorn brain.

What is popcorn brain?

In 2011 the term ‘popcorn brain’ was coined by Dr. David Levy, a researcher from the University of Washington and author of Mindful Tech, likening our increasing lack of mental focus to popping kernels of corn as our brains leap from one thought to another.

It’s a phenomenon that seems to have grown rapidly alongside the rise of social media. The constant (over)stimulation of our brains from electronic devices is relatively recent in the human story, and while the benefits of this technology are great, the downsides are undeniable and yet to be fully understood. In the meantime, dopamine cells being activated in the brain as we continue to scroll keep us hooked.

Some signs that you may be experiencing popcorn brain include:

• Reduced attention span

• Decreased ability to focus on tasks

• Brain overload

• A heightened stress state

• Feeling wired

• Difficulty winding down

• Trouble getting to sleep

“But I want to stay informed” - When doomscrolling is a trigger

The above statement from Dr. Nerurkar got me thinking. It’s certainly pertinent to the times. I know a lot of people choose to not watch (or be aware of) the news and though I understand this point of view, my feelings are more in line with Dr. Nerurkar in that I do think being an informed citizen is important, particularly now. If you’re an informed citizen (e.g. not getting all information from a single source and being able to recognise bias) then you can also be an engaged citizen and be better placed to think critically and take positive action where necessary. But where lots of people nowadays get a significant amount of their information online, a very real consequence of this can be doomscrolling and the negative impact that can have on one’s mental health.

When it comes to looking after our mental health, we each need to do what feels right for us. Though for me, I don’t think total avoidance of technology (or looking away from atrocities) is the answer. I feel that developing healthier habits and clear boundaries are a more considered way forward.

So what can you do?

Just a few tips to combat popcorn brain include:

Create digital boundaries – As Dr. Nerurkar suggests. Social media is linked to my work which makes it challenging to stay off it as much as I might otherwise choose, but since 2017 I’ve stayed off social media on Sundays and it makes a difference to my whole week. Something else I regularly do is mute WhatsApp groups and schedule the times when I check emails. Maybe taking one day a week away from social media apps is something you’d like to try if you don’t do this already. Or it could be having a tech cut-off time each day or deleting certain apps from your phone. It’s certainly worth experimenting to see what works best for you.  

Let go of multi-tasking – Multi-tasking is overrated and, according to the science, impossible for us to do effectively, despite what we may tell ourselves. In my book I write about why mono-tasking is the way forward for a calmer brain.

Practising being present, mindful and minimising distractions – You can of course engage in all sorts of mindful activities that don’t involve screens such as meditation, crafts or simply being in nature where possible. But in your regular day-to-day activities you can encourage a calm mind during your time away from screens by engaging mindfully with the task at hand e.g. while washing the dishes or choosing to go for a walk without ear pods or headphones. Coming back to the idea of multi-tasking, consider how often you try to stack tasks together in the name of productivity?

Practise not immediately reaching for your phone during spaces in the day – What if you didn’t reach for your phone when you were waiting… in a queue? For a friend to arrive? While waiting for the kettle to boil? For your order to be ready?

Let yourself do nothing – Yes, you do have time. Take at least a minute or two each day to stare out of the window and let your mind wander with no agenda.

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13th – 19th May 2024 is Mental Health Awareness Week. The theme this year is moving more for our mental health.

For some gentle movement, try this class I recorded for Mental Health Awareness Week last year.

Try Professor David Levy’s short Cellphone Meditation here.

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UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES TO PRACTICE YOGA WITH ME IN-PERSON (advance booking required):

Hatha Flow, Wednesdays 9.30-10.30 at Yoga Point, Brixton – sign up here.

Rest + Restore, Friday 14th June 19.00-20.30 at Embody Wellness, Vauxhall – details and booking here.

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Over to you:

• Have you heard of popcorn brain before?

• When you feel mentally restless, how do you address the effects?

Let me know in the comments.

And if you’ve found any of this helpful please let me know that too.