Your Stone–Age Brain in the Screen Age: The Energy Crisis We Overlook
Glasp’s Note: At Glasp, we value the close personal relationships we’ve built with thinkers, creators, and doers who fuel curiosity and growth. This week, we spotlight , a distinguished professor of Neurology at George Washington University. Dr. Cytowic is renowned for his groundbreaking work on synesthesia, a condition he brought back into the scientific mainstream against significant skepticism. You might remember him from his Glasp Talk appearance, where he shared his journey from being labeled "philosophically minded" in the early days of his career to becoming a leading expert in higher cortical functions.
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People obsess over what foods they put in their bodies: organic, non–GMO, vegan, gluten–free, sugar–free, no artificial coloring, and so on. But why aren’t they as picky about what they ingest through the senses? The mental garbage we take in is arguably more harmful than the occasional cheeseburger or Twinkie.
This mental garbage is costly because it quickly depletes our Stone–Age brain’s energy reserves. I use the term “Stone-Age” because modern brains are no different from those of our distant ancestors. Technology may have grown by leaps and bounds, but our biological brain remains firmly rooted in the past. The brain consumes 20 percent of our daily calorie intake despite accounting for only 2 percent of the body’s weight (see bit.ly/4g13jC8). It’s an energy hog. But here’s the thing: most of that expenditure goes toward maintaining its physical structure, with precious little left over for mental work. This slim margin is the problem we have to deal with: the amount of energy it has to work with is fixed and limited, just as it was millions of years ago. The drain caused by constant switching and scrolling is especially taxing, and the daily screen–saturation we face from laptops, tablets, smartphones, and wearables leaves us constantly engaged, constantly connected, constantly distracted, and constantly exhausted. No amount of diet, exercise, supplements, or Sudoku puzzles can ever increase it.
We are faced with a losing battle, and everyone agrees that our attention spans have gone to hell. Almost as many lament that they are addicted to their phones.
While much has been written about screen addiction, no one has yet looked at it from the brain’s point of view, particularly the energy demand that screens force it to expend. Brute force, willpower, and a pot of coffee are not going to overcome the immovable limits that biology imposed on it long ago.
Long ago, we evolved to survive in a much simpler natural world where primary concerns were finding food, avoiding predators, and forming social bonds. Evolved for efficiency in an atmosphere of scarce resources, our Stone–Age brain is bombarded today by stimuli that simply overwhelm it. Digital devices exploit inherent vulnerabilities such as our attraction to novelty and change—any change—which screens throw at it relentlessly. Today’s devices are deliberately engineered to capture and hold the user’s attention as long as possible. Tech companies know that there are only 1,440 minutes in a day, compete ruthlessly for your eyeballs, and make it hard to disengage from their products.
Digital devices are undeniably useful, and I am not a Luddite. Yet I plead the case that the Stone–Age brain is unequipped to handle the barrage of data flooding it daily. We were not built to handle a continuous cycle of distraction and demand for engagement. Understanding this can help you cope with screen distractions.
Compared to electronic circuitry, the nervous system operates at ridiculously slow speeds. My Verizon fiber-optic connection shoots data into my home at 8,589,934,592 bits per second, roughly 71,600,000 times the rate my gray matter can handle. Listening to one person speak uses about 60 bits per second of brain power, half our available bandwidth. Trying to follow two people speaking at once is well–nigh impossible for the same reason that multitaskers fare poorly: attempting to handle two or more tasks simultaneously simply exceeds the cognitive bandwidth of our working memory.
You may counter that people commonly read while using the treadmill, sing while playing the piano or guitar, or drive while talking on the phone. But these actions are largely automatic and repetitive, and demand little monitoring compared to those that require watchful attention. When pushed to their limit, living cells become fatigued, making it harder to weigh conflicting demands and sort the important from the trivial. Today’s deluge asks our Stone Age brain to sort, categorize, and prioritize enormous streams of information that it never evolved to handle.
When employees flit from checking their phones, responding to emails, texts, and reels, switching among tasks, or stealing time to scan social media, productivity plummets. Research shows that it takes between 11 and 23 minutes to refocus on a task once we have been sidetracked. Constant task switching results in reduced efficiency, frequent errors, and impaired decision–making. The mental drain caused by digital distractions further affects memory, making it harder to retain and recall information.
Energy drain has consequences in our personal lives, too. Foggy memory and difficulty making decisions strain relationships as we become less present to the people we proclaim to love. Chronic stress and mental fatigue associated with nonstop digital engagement furthermore contribute to anxiety, depression, and fitful sleep.
To protect our energy resources, a mindful, intentional approach to technological intrusion might be the way to go. Mindfulness means being aware of our thoughts, feelings, and surroundings. Being mindful makes us more attuned to how we use digital devices and aware of the effect they have on our peace of mind. Taking regular breaks, setting specific hours for checking emails and social media, and creating screen–free zones at home and work can channel your brain’s energy more efficiently.
Many recommendations are already well known: turn your phone off for an hour, or at least put it face down. Put it aside when eating or watching TV. If you use it as an alarm, put it on the far side of the bedroom. But more effective is to go for a walk and leave it behind. Savor the silence and look up at the natural world. Nature is highly restorative because it doesn’t overload your senses every second. Even green spaces in urban settings have been proven to be soothing and an antidote to the modern landscape of digital onslaught.
Book: Your Stone Age Brain in the Screen Age: Coping with Digital Distraction and Sensory Overload
An award-winning neurologist on the Stone-Age roots of our screen addictions, and what to do about them.
In Your Stone Age Brain in the Screen Age, Cytowic explains exactly how this programming works—from the brain’s point of view. What he reveals in this book shows why we are easily addicted to screen devices; why young, developing brains are particularly vulnerable; why we need silence; and what we can do to push back.
📣 Community Updates by Glasp
🟥 Glasp Talk with Dr. Richard E. Cytowic:
Glasp Talk features intimate interviews with luminaries, revealing their emotions, experiences, and stories. The guest, , a distinguished professor of Neurology at George Washington University. Dr. Cytowic is renowned for his groundbreaking work on synesthesia, a condition he brought back into the scientific mainstream despite significant skepticism.✨ Want a concise summary before diving in? Install the YouTube Summary with ChatGPT extension by Glasp for instant video summaries!
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Such an eye-opening read! We often obsess over physical health but overlook the mental diet we consume daily through screens. Dr. Cytowic’s reminder that our brains haven’t evolved to handle this constant flood of stimuli really hits home. Loved the practical advice on protecting our cognitive energy, especially the part about savoring silence and nature. Definitely something I’ll be more intentional about moving forward!
Thank you, Richard, for this thoughtful and eye-opening exploration of how our ancient brain struggles in today’s screen-driven world. Your insights offer a crucial reminder of our cognitive limits and practical ways to protect our mental energy. Grateful for your important work!
Here's my learning: https://glasp.co/kei/p/2e0b38b65e468fbb4941