Are you someone who wakes up to the internet in morning and cannot get enough of the doomscrolling till you drop on the bed almost exhausted at night? Then, news flash for you - you belong to the generation that is suffering from brain rot.
What Is 'Brain Rot'?
The Oxford University Press, publishers of the Oxford English Dictionary, has dubbed "Brain Rot" the official Word of the Year for 2024. As the result of people mindlessly scrolling through Internet memes and sludge, it defines "Brain Rot" as "the supposed deterioration of a person's mental or intellectual state," resulting from the "over-consumption" of trivial material—especially in regard to information on the Internet and other virtual excesses. Modern neuroscience has developed imaging techniques to advance our understanding of how to prevent "Brain Rot" and nurture it for happiness and career success.
In Internet culture, brain rot (or brainrot) refers to any Internet content deemed to be of low quality or value, or the supposed negative psychological and cognitive effects caused by it. The term also refers to excessive use of digital media, especially short-form entertainment, which may potentially affect cognitive health. The term originated within the online cultures of Generation Alpha and Generation Z, but has since become mainstream.
The term was named Oxford Word of the Year in 2024, beating other words like demure and romantasy. Its modern usage is defined by the Oxford University Press as "the supposed deterioration of a person's mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging".
Signs of brain rot:
"'Brain rot' is when internet trends and jokes are going through your mind constantly. It's the inability to form sentences without internet slang," she says. "It infiltrates your life and you don't even know you're doing it at some point."
In children, brain rot often manifests as reduced attention spans, difficulty focusing on tasks, and poor academic performance. Adults, on the other hand, may notice forgetfulness, low motivation, irritability, and an over-dependence on devices for memory and entertainment.
The term suggests a kind of mental saturation, where the brain feels "rotted" or overly fixated on a trivial or inconsequential topic. While it might sound negative, it is often used to express how engaging and captivating some content can be. Meme culture is a breeding ground for brainrot.
How to avoid brain rot?
As common as brain rot is in today's world, it's almost to avoid it - given the amount of time we spend on our electronic devices like mobile phones, tablets and laptops; and how much time we spend on the internet. However, there are some ways of prevention of the same.
For adults, combating brain rot means striking a balance between digital consumption and activities that challenge the mind. Engaging in mentally stimulating games, solving puzzles, and even having deep, meaningful conversations can help preserve cognitive health.
Here are 7 morning habits that can help:
Ample sleep :
Sleep deprivation fosters brain rot, by hampering your ability to deal with various stresses that you deal with throughout the day. Lack of sleep causes slower brain activity, cloudy thinking and forgetfulness. It interferes with memory and learning and short-circuits attention. Whereas, ample sleep restores clarity and performance, actively refining cortical plasticity so you can manage job stress and set the foundation for a smart brain.
Mindfulness :
Mindfulness techniques are powerful antidotes to mindless virtual excesses like immersive gaming, Internet surfing or streaming the vast television wasteland. Mindfulness meditation and conscious deep breathing keep your brain from wandering and your focus sharp. Meditation reduces cortisol levels by 25% and alters brain activity, so one's less error prone and make fewer mistakes after just 20 minutes of practice. Over time, your brain learns to stay calm even under turbulent circumstances.
Blood flow :
Brain rot can stem from sedentary activity and lack of exercise, so don't be a desk zombie or couch potato throughout the whole day. Blood flow is good medicine to remain happy, viable and creative. Regular exercise and movement amp up blood flow to the brain and even slow the onset of memory loss and dementia. Feed your brain the excess blood it needs through aerobics, walking and stretching and toning your body, which by extension help to keep your brain up and chirpy. Read More
This article is referenced from
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
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