If you’ve ever cleared calendars and turned down social events to give yourself a break – only to find you’re still inexplicably exhausted, nodding off mid-afternoon, and utterly fed up (despite having nothing left to be fed up about) – what’s that all about?
You can scale back workloads and cancel plans, but when the low-level, irritable fog still lingers, you might wonder what’s wrong with you.
Across the UK, people feel mentally and physically depleted by day’s end – even when they’ve got very little going on. But the truth is, they’ve been quite occupied with something they can’t see or put their finger on.
In essence, something is wrong, but it’s not your fault. Welcome to the world of passive overstimulation. And thankfully, there is a fix.
Minds on Autoplay: The Cost of Constant Input
Feeling tired for no reason relates to the constant buzz of mental ‘programs’ we run in the background of our lives and our minds.
Passive overstimulation isn’t about dramatic life events. It’s the way our unconscious minds keep track of several things at once, many of them unimportant – half-completed podcasts, partial conversations, unfinished work, and to-do lists of all kinds.
We scroll social media absentmindedly, taking in a chaotic mix of news and opinions that we never process. We plan dinner while mentally shopping, listening to the kids, and anticipating the ping of notifications.
We’re bombarded – the flashing lights of online casinos with no deposit bonuses and welcome offers, ads for half-price trainers, notifications about someone’s air fryer dinner – and we often don’t realize what our brains are processing.
Increasingly, when we pull focus to the task in front of us, our minds continue to let multiple apps run in the background.
Why Is Mental Busywork So Physically Draining?
You might not think you’re in a panicked, fight-or-flight state – after all, there are no obvious monsters chasing you – but constant ‘noticing’ keeps your body on high alert.
Somewhere in the blur of trivial information overload, we lose the ability to categorize and prioritize inputs.
So, as far as your stress hormones know, everything is critically important and demanding your energy now – from Victoria Beckham’s hair mishap, to your unread DMs, to possible monsters.
Over time, a mind that never feels finished with tasks impairs sleep, memory, mood, and energy. There’s even evidence to suggest that ‘doomscrolling’ shrinks our brains.
You might notice that your shoulders are tense, your jaw’s clenched, or you can’t quiet your mind to sleep when you really need to.
Switching Off – Why Guilt-Free Boundaries Are Key
Saying ‘no’ can be tricky. Psychologically, many people feel a sense of duty to be available, and the modern world has trained us that way. These devices glued to our hands give access for anyone, anywhere, to drain our energy bandwidth.
We willingly download communication apps, then feel guilty for ignoring notifications. What if someone needs you? What if something super important happens? What if you miss out?
The reality is, most of what we’re consciously and unconsciously tuned into isn’t a priority and isn’t relevant to us.
It’s as if we’re stuck watching 50 different movies at once, glancing between screens, but most of them are box-office bombs. We need to stand up and leave the theatre.
In the past, only friends, family, and a nosy neighbour had direct access to our thoughts and time. Today, we’ve left the gates open for a world of influence, and it’s stealing space for what matters.
Think of your attention like a house. Healthy boundaries mean not everyone gets a key. They can knock politely (your boss), or they can wave from the sidewalk (draw the curtains, and they go away.) Who is VIP enough to get a front door key?
Reclaiming boundaries and bandwidth begins with taking a good look at the state of your house and kicking the squatters out.
Practical Steps to Reduce Overstimulation
If you think you may be feeling effects of passive overstimulation, here are a few easy ways to reclaim space for quiet and get your energy back.
1. Set Notification Hours
Turn off non-essential alerts when your work/social day is done. Despite what marketing companies would have you believe, you do not need to know about flash sales at 9 p.m., and even your friend’s cousin’s news can wait.
2. Make Peace a Priority
Schedule silence. That means no meetings, no chatter from the telly, and no social media scroll. Try winding down your evenings with no sensory inputs at all. It will feel strange at first, but your nervous system will soak it up.
3. Create a ‘Do Not Disturb’ Rule
Let even your bestie know when you plan to switch off for a bit and embrace not being on call like a chatbot.
4. Curate the Quality of Inputs
Filter what you take in. If following developments in world conflicts or catty celebrity gossip leaves you feeling yucky, leave it. You don’t need it.
Still Mind, Strong Body
The mind/body connection is undeniable – if you run one into the ground, the other will follow. That’s why cultivating peace and quiet is one of the kindest things you can do for yourself. Give yourself permission to be unavailable, tuned out, and not immediately responsive. Dispel the FOMO that keeps you feeling obligated.
And the next time you feel knackered by 5 p.m. with no clear reason, ask yourself how many tabs your brain has open.
To-do lists can wait, the incessant online chatter can pause, and even the email monsters aren’t real. You deserve a break. Close the doors to the world and let mental rest in.