Digital overload: Coping with the stress of screen time and other digital demands as we get older

Managing today’s constant stream of digital technology — from apps, texts, and emails to patient portals, social media, and video calls — can feel stressful at any age. But many older adults, in particular, feel they can’t keep up. They’re experiencing digital overload: exhaustion and confusion from the constant influx of information, alerts, passwords, and to-do items surrounding the use of digital devices.

What’s more, age-related changes can make digital overload — and the resulting cognitive burden — seem even heavier, says Dr. Suzanne Salamon, clinical chief of gerontology at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

“Part of the issue is that older people didn’t grow up with technology,” she says. “But they also think it’s just too overwhelming.”

Brain changes and digital technology

Coping with constantly evolving technology can be taxing for the sharpest minds. Age-related brain changes make this even more challenging.

Testing on older adults with healthy brains indicates they’re able to learn new things just as effectively as younger people, “but it just takes them longer,” Dr. Salamon says. It also becomes more difficult to filter out distractions, which are constant with screen time.

“Everyone complains when they’re older about forgetting names, or where they put their keys or glasses,” Dr. Salamon says. “But it’s also harder to multitask when you get older, and technology involves a lot of multitasking.”

These normal changes aren’t necessarily a sign of cognitive decline or disease, but they do affect the ability to cope with the demands of technology. Physical factors also contribute, such as vision changes, hearing difficulties, or reduced dexterity.

“Your vision has to be good to even see a laptop or phone, and then you have to be able to type on a little screen,” she says. “For a lot of people with tremors or arthritis, it’s just hard to push the buttons.”

Screen time, sleep, and mental health

On the other hand, some people spend too much time on their devices, often to make up for feeling lonely, Dr. Salamon notes. How much screen time is too much for older adults? There’s no universally accepted limit, she says, but red flags crop up when screen time crowds out sleep, exercise, or relationships.

“The problem is, you can sit in front of the computer too much and not get enough exercise, and blue light exposure can keep you awake at night,” she says. “You can also develop muscle issues such as shoulder and neck pain or eyestrain.”

Other signs that screen time may be causing problems include

• difficulty concentrating
• feeling unrested
• increased anxiety or irritability
• increased headaches
• memory slips tied to distraction.

It doesn’t take a technology addiction to lead to these problems, Dr. Salamon says. And while there’s no strong evidence that average amounts of screen time can damage the brain in healthy adults, frequent device usage can reinforce bad habits — such as needing constant stimulation — or worsen a too-short attention span.

Adapting to digital demands

If you feel overwhelmed by technology, Dr. Salamon suggests thwarting digital overload by taking these proactive steps:

• Write down steps to use various portals or websites. “Don’t leave anything to chance,” she says.
• Create “cheat sheets” for passwords.
• Limit the number of apps and platforms you engage with.
• Unsubscribe from unnecessary emails.
• Turn off nonessential notifications.

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