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Tom's Guide
29-05-2025
- Health
- Tom's Guide
Can't sleep after doomscrolling? Experts explain the ‘brain rot' effect
Ever reached a point where you've scrolled social media on your phone for so long before bedtime, you feel foggy, overstimulated, anxious and struggle to get to sleep? It may be that you, and your sleep, are being impacted by 'brain rot.' Research indicates that brain rot — the concept of mental deterioration as a result of consuming too much low-quality online content — is an issue for younger adults and adolescents in particular, who reportedly spend an average of 6.5 hours a day online. Brain rot is believed to affect your attention span, productivity, mental and emotional health — and it could also be negatively impacting your sleep. We've spoken to a doctor and a psychologist to better understand how brain rot can affect your health and wellbeing, and how it may be disrupting your sleep. Plus, we get their tips for how you can avoid it. Read on to find out more... While the term was the 2024 'Oxford University Press word of the year' they note that its first use dates back to Henry David Thoreau's 1854 book, Walden: Now, it's a viral phrase that refers to the overconsumption of online content that is considered to be "trivial or unchallenging", according to Oxford University Press, and in particular, content viewed on social media. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. "Brain rotting is not a clinical term but it's used to describe the sense of mental fatigue or dullness often linked to overstimulation, usually from screens or scrolling," says Dr. Ola Otulana, GP at Cassiobury Court. The word 'brain rot' is not about the brain physically decaying, but rather a metaphor for feelings of cognitive burnout. "People describe feeling foggy, or unmotivated or detached after long periods of mindless content consumption," explains Dr Otulana. "When your brain is bombarded with nonstop stimuli — especially from fast-paced, emotionally charged content — it struggles to shift into a restful state," says Dr Leah Kaylor, sleep expert and clinical psychologist. We've taken a look the different ways brain rot can affect your sleep: "Excessive screen time and passive content consumption can contribute to feelings of low mood or anxiety," says Dr. Otulana. The experts we spoke to noted that excessive social media use can cause anxiety, loneliness and 'digital stress,' which can lead to depression and sleeplessness, or symptoms of conditions like insomnia. "The constant stream of information, much of it emotionally charged or trivial can overload our emotional processing centres. Over time, this can lead to increased anxiety and dips in mood," Dr. Otulana adds. On the surface, scrolling through your phone before bed might seem like a relaxing activity that can distract you from other concerns and help you switch off. The reality is, it's more likely to negatively impact your sleep. "When your brain is overstimulated, especially in the hours before bed, it can have an effect on your sleep quality," says Dr Otulana. "The brain doesn't get a proper wind down period which is essential for transitioning into restful sleep. Instead of easing into a natural sleep cycle, you're left feeling distracted or restless." This mental overstimulation can delay sleep onset (the time taken to fall asleep), reduce deep sleep, and even contribute to vivid or disruptive dreams. Light, and the blue light from electronic devices in particular, interferes with melatonin (the sleepy hormone) production and confuses your body into thinking it's still day time. This can affect your circadian rhythm (the body's internal wake and sleep cycle) which can result in disrupted sleep, and lead to increased fatigue due to lack of proper rest and less cognitive clarity to carry out your daily routine. Sticking to a digital curfew is a habit that even celebrities like Friends star, Jennifer Aniston, have adopted. It means giving yourself a set time before sleep where you don't look at your digital devices, and as well as helping you avoid brain rot, it can also give your body and mind time to relax and unwind effectively before bed. Putting your devices away a few hours before your bedtime and changing the settings to block internet access are both ways that can help you restrict your digital consumption before sleep. One benefit of all the time you'll have if you disconnect from your phone is that you can take up a relaxing hobby or calming activity in the hours before bedtime. This could be anything from reading a book, journaling, taking a warm shower or even a quick 15-minute yoga session aimed at improved circulation, tension release and aiding restful sleep. Having a consistent nighttime routine is a golden rule of good sleep hygiene. It doesn't have to be elaborate or indulgent, though. Instead, think of it as a chain of small steps taken to help you winddown and relax before bed. You could consider making yourself a sleepy-time drink, listening to gentle music, stretching, reading, lighting candles or having a bath. Creating your ideal relaxing bedroom setup, with one of the best mattresses for your sleeping style and body type and the best pillows to support your body is also essential for achieving a restorative night's sleep.
Tom's Guide
27-05-2025
- Health
- Tom's Guide
Regulating these 5 sleep hormones can help you fall asleep fast and stop you waking up at night
If you've ever wondered why you sleep better some nights rather than others, your hormones might be the culprit. From renowned sleep hormones such as melatonin to lesser known ones, our sleep hormones help us to thrive and reset at the right times each day. They play a crucial role in the sleep-wake cycle, helping us wind down in the evening and wake feeling refreshed and ready to go. While we're all familiar with melatonin and cortisol, there are other hormones that can influence how well we sleep too including oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone. With the help of the experts, you can learn how to work in sync with your hormones to optimise your sleep, and vice versa. We've chatted with a GP and a clinical sleep educator to find out more. We all work on a 24 hour internal clock, this is known as our circadian rhythm, and this is regulated by our hormones. Your hormones play a crucial role in preparing your body to wind down for sleep and rev up the next morning as part of the sleep/wake cycle. This means they're responsible for how fast we fall asleep and whether we can sleep through the night. When they fluctuate from time to time due to periods of stress or illness or during the menstrual cycle, for example, it can disrupt how well you sleep. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. But there is a lot we can do to get our internal clock and hormones working in harmony together. Our sleep is heavily influenced by five key hormones. 'Melatonin is the main sleep hormone and it's produced by the pineal gland in the brain,' explains Dr Olalekan Otulana, a GP and addictions physician at Cassiobury Court. 'It helps to regulate our body's internal clock and it usually starts rising in the evening as it gets dark. This helps to make us feel sleepy,' he continues. 'Melatonin levels then fall in the morning as light exposure increases.' This is what helps us wake up naturally in the mornings. Alongside this, higher melatonin levels at night help us sleep through the night, preventing us from waking up frequently so we can achieve better sleep quality. 'Cortisol is often thought of as a stress hormone but actually, it also follows a daily rhythm,' says Dr Otulana. 'It is typically highest in the early morning to help wake us up and then gradually drops throughout the day.' Our lowest cortisol level is usually around midnight, helping us achieve deep sleep without nighttime awakenings. 'Oestrogen can have a more stimulating effect as it influences serotonin and other neurotransmitters involved in mood and sleep regulation,' he explains. 'Balanced levels of oestrogen tend to support REM sleep and can improve sleep quality,' the doctor adds. REM sleep is essential for brain health and development as it helps us consolidate memories and learning, as well as process emotional events. Read our guide on how to get more REM sleep if you think you're not getting enough. 'During times of hormonal fluctuation, drops in oestrogen can lead to disrupted sleep and this could lead to waking more throughout the night.' 'Progesterone has a calming effect on the brain,' says Dr Otulana.'It enhances gaba-activity (a neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation).' 'So higher levels of progesterone as seen in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle or during pregnancy, can increase sleepiness and reduce sleep latency,' he explains. But increased progesterone doesn't always mean better sleep. Dr Otulana says 'this can also lead to more fragmented sleep in some individuals.' This is because steep rises in progesterone during the follicular phase through the mid-luteal phase of the menstrual cycle has been proven to increase waking after falling asleep. Testosterone tends to promote deeper and more restorative sleep, particularly in terms of slow-wave sleep,' explains Dr Otulana. 'Its levels follow a diurnal rhythm where they peak in the early morning (roughly between 6am and 8am) and then gradually decline throughout the day.' But testosterone levels are a balancing act for sleep. 'Too little testosterone can significantly impact the circadian rhythm and lead to insomnia,' explains Lauri Leadley, clinical sleep educator, president and founder of Valley Sleep Center. 'Too much can disrupt sleep patterns and cause frequent awakening through the night,' she adds. 'This kind of sleep disruption makes it difficult to achieve the full sleep cycle, which ultimately helps our body's cells to regenerate, enables us to dream, create memories and wake up feeling refreshed.' While hormones regulate our sleep, it's a two-way relationship. Quality, consistent sleep will also help regulate our hormones. Here are our top tips for getting effective, restorative sleep that will keep your body clock functioning well. It's often reported that seven to nine hours per night is the golden ticket when it comes to getting enough sleep. Not getting enough sleep can affect the regulation of your hormones and leave you feeling sluggish. It can also impact your mood, appetite, stress response and metabolism, eventually leading to sleep deprivation. The trick is to gauge how much sleep you need to feel refreshed the next day. If sleeping 6.5 hours a night is your sweet spot, chances are that's the right amount for you and you don't need to worry about trying to eke out more. Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, even on weekends, is a big help when it comes to getting regular, quality sleep. A consistent sleep schedule helps to regulate your sleep-wake cycle and enables key hormones to be released at the right times of day. So, you'll feel relaxed and ready to drift off to sleep at night, and energised and refreshed for the day ahead the following morning. Experts advise that if you do want an occasional lie-in, such as after a late night, to keep this to no more than an hour's additional sleep so it doesn't affect your overall sleep/wake cycle consistency too much. Kickstart your mornings by opening your curtains or blinds and letting morning light stream into your bedroom as it's a great way to wake from your slumber. Your internal body clock will love it too! 'Getting outdoors and into natural daylight during the day is another good way to keep your circadian rhythm on track,' says Dr Otulana. Early morning light is usually the best for sleep. This could include going for a morning run, popping out for a lunchtime stroll or enjoying time outdoors in the afternoon or early evening sun after a busy work or study day. Eating a balanced diet can benefit your sleep as foods such as lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats, can help to regulate your sleep hormones and improve your sleep quality. Foods that are high in the sleep hormone melatonin or the sleep-boosting amino acid tryptophan include nuts (particularly pistachios and walnuts), turkey, milk, eggs and tart cherries. 'Be mindful about eating foods that can negatively impact sleep hormones and try not to consume these too close to bedtime,' advises Laurie. 'For example, fatty, acidic, spicy and fried foods.' Check out these healthy nighttime snacks for a late-night treat if you're feeling peckish. Caffeine can also affect your sleep so it's best avoided in the evening. 'Avoid caffeine late in the day,' advises Dr Otulana, 'and keep alcohol to a minimum as both can disrupt hormone patterns and sleep quality.' 'Create an environment that is conducive to sleep,' adds Laurie. 'A dark, quiet, cool space is a retreat for rest.' The blue light that is emitted by TVs and smartphones can interfere with melatonin production and disrupt signals to your body that it's time to sleep. Blue light actually tricks your brain into thinking that it's still daytime, delaying your sleep onset time and making it generally harder to fall asleep. For this reason, Dr Otulana advises avoiding blue light for at least an hour before going to bed. Screens in bed have also been proven to increase insomnia by 59%.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What's next for AI in Alabama?
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Artificial intelligence is just the beginning of a boom that is predicted to change life as we know it. From Siri and Alexa, facial recognition on your phone, or GPS and navigation apps you use to get around. It wasn't long ago that AI was the stuff you would see in a science fiction movie. But it's prevalence and impact are growing at astounding rates. Dr. Rubin Pillay is the chief innovation officer at Heersink School Of Medicine, and he sees AI as a game-changer. Not only for UAB, but for healthcare as a whole. 'I think there is an appreciation across the UAB ecosystem that AI is going to be transformative for us. Not just in medicine, but in healthcare, both clinical and non-clinical,' Pillay said. Dr. Carlos Cardenas is the director of AI research and development at UAB's Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation. He showed CBS 42 an example of the aid AI provides for diagnosing diseases and allowing hospitals, like UAB, to do more with less. 'I think AI offers the tremendous opportunity in terms of improving the way that we manage patients. I think that's going to be the low-hanging fruit is just becoming more efficient, reducing costs, but also elevating the quality of care,' said Cardenas. Another area where Dr. Pillay is optimistic about AI is in the development of drug discoveries. 'I think another really exciting space is AI-driven drug discovery, UAB has set up a unit to focus on that. And once again, I think the outcome of that is going to be a move towards personalized drugs and medication.' Shegun Otulana is a founder who sold a company he started for more than a billion dollars. He's all in with AI. 'Very. And still in the early stages. In the same way that computers have permeated every aspect of our lives, AI is that next thing that's going to totally permeate every aspect of our lives,' he said. After the sell of Therapy Brands in 2021, Otulana was looking for what's next. He landed on Copysmith AI, a company that offers a collection of AI-powered products. It helps companies produce high quality content across multiple communication channels. 'It is at the core of it. It's literally the whole business,' Otulana said. Otulana is an alum of Birmingham Incubator Innovation Depot. CEO Brooke Gillis has seen an accelerated trend toward AI being an integral part of the DNA of the startups that call the depot home. 'I would say a year ago, you probably only had a handful of people actually using AI. Now it's a foundational thing that if you aren't using AI, you're gonna be left behind. It's essential,' said Gillis. Austin Senseman is the co-founder of an AI community group called 'Birmingham AI.' A group that has seen an explosion of interest in the past six months. Senseman says the new reality is, having an AI component to start your start up is crucial to attracting investors. 'If you;re not talking about AI in your startup pitch, it's actually hard to raise money. So you see a lot of people finding ways to talk about AI and that's where the money is to be made the next few years,' Senseman concluded. If you need more evidence on the future impact of AI here locaclly, UAB is offering a master's of science degree in artificial intelligence in medicine. UAB says the new offering is in direct response to the rapid increase in health care-related technological companies in Birmingham, and the state of Alabama. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
