Current evidence points to a disturbing trend: young people who spend a lot of time on social media and video content are experiencing brain changes that resemble early signs of cognitive impairment, writes South China Morning Post. Sedentary lifestyles and passive information consumption reduce the ability to concentrate, impair memory and slow thinking. This phenomenon is sometimes called “digital dementia”.
However, the picture is not so clear-cut. A large long-term study involving adults over the age of 50 found that regular Internet use can almost halve the risk of dementia. The key factor is not the fact of using technology, but the way it is used.
The internet can act as a brain training tool. Communicating via video, reading the news, searching for information, managing finances or learning new skills stimulates memory, attention and thinking. All this contributes to the formation of the so-called cognitive reserve – the brain’s ability to compensate for age-related changes.
It’s important to realize that the effect depends on balance. Complete disregard for technology can limit social and intellectual activity, while excessive and meaningless “sticking” in the tape – on the contrary, worsens the condition. The optimal approach is conscious and purposeful use.
Experts advise going online with a specific task, limiting time in social networks and giving preference to active online activities. It is equally important to keep offline activity: physical exercise, live socializing and hobbies remain the basis of a healthy lifestyle.
Thus, the Internet itself is neither an enemy nor a panacea. It all depends on whether it turns into a tool for development or a source of passive consumption. The golden mean is a combination of digital activity and real life, which helps to maintain mental clarity for many years to come.
