In today’s world, being online has become a habit of our daily lives. From scrolling on social media, Netflix, group chatting, to attending online lectures. It feels like we are constantly connected, yet, many students notice a strange kind of tiredness, that feeling of being drained, even on those days when we haven't done anything much physically.

The digital drain means you are ‘always online’ and rarely gives your brain a break. Multitasking between apps, as well as continuous scrolling, leads to attention fatigue where the ability to focus and understand things is challenging. After a while, this can affect sleep, academic performance and overall well-being.

How to know if you’re experiencing digital overload:

• Finding it hard to focus during study sessions or lectures.
• Struggling to fall asleep, especially after spending time on the phone at night.
• You find yourself repeatedly checking apps or refreshing feeds, without any reason.
• You feel restless when you’re not checking your phone.

Recognising these signs early can help you make small changes before fatigue builds up.

How to break the cycle:

• Set screen boundaries: Use app timers or schedule offline hours.
• Take Short breaks: Step away from screen time during the day to rest your mind.
• Prioritise real connections: spend time with friends in person, when possible, real interaction boosts mood and reduces stress.
• Use tech mindfully: avoid multitasking to reduce mental overload.

By making small changes, we can protect our mental energy and stay
focused.

You are not alone:

Remember many people feel the same, and it can be really hard to break a habit. If you’re facing mental fatigue or mental exhaustion Your Students' Union offer lots of wellbeing support and advice from how to keep safe online, to improving your physical health!