The Shallows

The Shallows explores the effects of the Internet on the human brain, which aren’t entirely positive, as our constant exposure to the online environment through digital devices strips our ability to target our focus and stay concentrated, all while modifying our brain neurologically and anatomically.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you try to focus on a sure thing, maybe while reading or studying, but can’t stay focused for more than two minutes? If so, chances are your brain is affected by the internet. Are you confused? Let me break it down in simple terms!

The use of the Internet makes our brain learn superficially, get easily distracted, and overall not function on a deeper level. Since our brain is plastic, it falls for these shortcuts. Our Brain becomes addicted to the repetitive and interactive features of the virtual world. After all, every stimulus is just a click away, so why shouldn’t we access them?

Essentially, the constant exposure to the Internet and its nocive effects on the brain will make it crave more and more stimulation, increasing the need for processing information such as emails, notifications, news, and whatnot.

Hence, the attention span reduces significantly and the ability to stay focused for a prolonged time decreases, and with it, so does our happiness. Why is that? Because we can’t live in the present and appreciate the level of excitement a given moment has since we always feel the need for more intensity.

Whenever we go online, the Internet presents us with a desirable place that keeps us hooked for minutes, if not hours at once. This space is tailored to our needs and wants, so why would you want to get out of it, right? Well, allow me to tell you why. If you feel that something is off with you and feel tired all the time, this may be the case.

Studies show that we are presented with more bits of information in a week than our ancestors had to deal with in their entire lifetime. Imagine how much cognitive power that must take to process. However, we are not programmed to consume that much information, so as a result, we feel burnout and exhausted.

To help yourself get out of this situation, you must interrupt the constant supply of digital news, notifications, or any online stimulus. It will help your brain get a break from all the data it has to process, but it will give you more time to rest mentally.

It is beneficial for the brain to be away from virtual toxicity- getting bored, and being alone. The brain needs some time to rest and reset.