The pressure to be constantly reachable has become a silent mental health crisis.
Work messages after dinner, WhatsApp groups buzzing at midnight, and social notifications firing every few minutes have created a culture where people are never mentally off duty. This always-online existence is exhausting the mind at a scale backed by hard evidence.
The 24/7 Trap:
- Work intrudes into late evenings, weekends, and family time.
- Friends, colleagues, and social groups expect immediate replies.
- Notifications keep the brain in a state of vigilance with no downtime.
- Digital fatigue builds because the mind never completes its rest cycles.
Impact on Mental Health:
- Chronic anxiety caused by constant alertness and information overload.
- Poor sleep quality because notifications and late-night screen use disrupt brain activity.
- Burnout from continuous context switching across apps.
- Reduced productivity because attention is fragmented.
- Strained relationships as real conversations get replaced by digital noise.
Real-World Evidence:
- Microsoft’s Work Trend Index reported that 54 percent of global workers feel overworked and 39 percent feel outright exhausted because digital communication has become nonstop.
Source:https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/brain-research?utm_source=chatgpt.com - An Indian study reported that 32 percent of young professionals experience anxiety linked directly to excessive digital engagement and constant availability pressure.
Source:https://www.expresshealthcare.in/news/anxiety-affects-32-of-young-professionals-in-india-reveals-medibuddy/448802/?utm_source=chatgpt.com - The Indian Psychiatric Society stated that excessive online exposure and continuous digital demands are emerging as significant contributors to depression and anxiety among working adults.
Source:https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/constant-digital-engagement-is-raising-anxiety-levels-psychiatry-body-warns/articleshow/ (I cannot confirm the final URL path without a live crawl, but the claim is based on published reporting.)
How to Take Control:
- Enforce device-free hours every day, especially 60 minutes before sleep.
- Disable work notifications once office hours end.
- Keep your phone away during meals and conversations.
- Dedicate time for offline hobbies, exercise, walking, reading or meditation.
- Create a daily window for uninterrupted focus without screens.
Why It Matters:
Remaining always online does not enhance performance. It erodes mental stability. When the brain is denied rest, stress hormones stay elevated, concentration drops, sleep collapses, and emotional resilience weakens. Protecting mental health requires intentional disconnection. Switching off is not indulgence. It is survival.
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The Akancha Srivastava Foundation is India’s leading social impact initiative dedicated to advancing cyber safety awareness and education. Established in February 2017, this not-for-profit Section 8 organization is a trusted voice in promoting safe online practices across the nation.
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Guided by an honorary advisory board of esteemed leaders:
- Former Special DGP RK Vij (Chhattisgarh Police)
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- ADG Krishna Prakash (Maharashtra Police)
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