Maintaining concentration has become one of the greatest challenges of our time, especially when studying, working, and the constantly present digital environment all affect us simultaneously. Have you ever noticed that it’s hard to focus, that your attention is easily distracted, or that while studying, it feels like your “brain just won’t work”? This is not a weakness, nor a lack of ability: the modern environment simply overwhelms us with stimuli, and the nervous system tries to respond through constant adaptation. This article aims to help you understand why you often feel unable to focus, how the digital world affects your learning, and what kind of environment supports effective concentration.
The Impact of Short-Form Content
Your attention is most easily captured by content that delivers immediate stimulation through its brevity.
Videos on TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts directly activate the brain’s reward system, which responds by releasing dopamine, the so-called “reward hormone.” Each new piece of content acts like a small reward bite for the brain, making you want to experience it again and again. When this behavior is repeated, the neural pathways linked to the reward system strengthen, and the brain learns what triggers this state.
In the long term, however, this makes it harder to focus on a single task for an extended period. The nervous system becomes accustomed to rapid switching, so slower activities that require deep focus (such as studying) demand increasing effort. This is why you may feel bored “after just a minute.” In these moments, the task itself is not difficult; rather, your reward system has adapted to a different type of stimulation.
Social media platforms are designed to continuously monitor what content interests you, what you watch until the end, what you scroll past, and what you like. Based on this data, they create a personalized content feed. At first glance, this may seem useful, since you see things that interest you, but:
Have you ever wondered why completely different types of content sometimes appear, unrelated to your usual interests?
Because unexpected novelty amplifies the dopamine effect.
This operating principle resembles the mechanics of gambling: you never know whether the next video will make you laugh, excite you, or emotionally move you. It is precisely this unpredictability that sustains interest and encourages endless scrolling.
It is common not to notice when you cross the line of
“just one or two videos”
because the algorithm is deliberately designed to keep content consumption going automatically.
As a result, scrolling can become not only a habit but also a behavior that is difficult to control, while you spend more and more time on the platform, almost without realizing it.
But Why Do You Feel More Tired?
Because throughout the day (even during the smallest breaks)– when you’re standing on an escalator, waiting for a bus, eating, standing in line, going to the restroom, or just “resting your head for a minute” while studying – your nervous system continues to receive stimuli, leaving almost no opportunity for genuine rest.
Research shows that short scrolling sessions do not provide real recovery. In fact, fast and intense stimuli require constant alertness from the brain, so instead of recharging, you often feel even more tired and drained afterward. The constant close-range focus on screens strains the eye muscles, reduces blinking, and can lead to dry eyes and a feeling of tension. In the long run, this habit also impairs your ability to switch focus.
Life Through a Screen
Today, it is taken for granted that we carry out most of our daily activities through digital devices. We manage banking, chat, send emails, make video calls, handle academic and work tasks, use digital calendars, shop, play games, take photos and videos, and watch films, series, and various streamed content on our phones or laptops. Navigation, workout plans, online meetings, and e-learning have become natural parts of everyday life. Added to this are VR and AR applications, digital textbooks, note-taking platforms, and AI-based learning systems, all of which mean that we spend more and more time using digital devices—often without noticing.
The blue light emitted by screens inhibits the production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates your biological rhythm in line with the day-night cycle. If you use your phone, laptop, or TV in the evening, your brain interprets this light as a daytime signal, making it harder to fall asleep and disrupting your natural biorhythm. Moreover, playing fast-paced games or watching action movies before bed only worsens the situation: such content increases adrenaline and cortisol levels, putting your nervous system into an alert state exactly opposite of what you need to fall asleep.
Poor sleep quality reduces next-day concentration, reaction time, information processing, and memory function, because many of the neural processes required for learning occur during sleep. This is when newly learned information is consolidated, and new neural connections are strengthened. If you go to bed late, experience interrupted sleep, or do not sleep long enough, these processes become less effective, noticeably impairing learning performance.
Am I Bad at Studying? – No. Your Attention Is Overloaded
Working memory is the brain’s short-term, active processing system, capable of holding and manipulating information for a few seconds or minutes while you complete a task. However, this capacity is limited.
Its function is very similar to a computer’s RAM-the fast, temporary storage through which all running processes pass. If too many programs run at once, the RAM fills up, the system slows down, becomes unresponsive, or malfunctions. The same happens to the brain when it is exposed to too many stimuli: it quickly becomes overloaded. This can result in forgetfulness or scattered attention.
The amount of information that reaches an individual daily has been steadily increasing for decades.
The Myth of Multitasking
Many people believe they can pay attention to several things at once, but research clearly shows that multitasking does not actually exist.
Our brains do not perform tasks in parallel; instead, they constantly switch between them. This switching is exhausting and places a heavy burden on working memory. The result is familiar: slower progress, more mistakes, and faster fatigue. Even a 30-second interruption can noticeably reduce performance: meaning your concentration is far more fragile than you might think. Excessive external stimuli also make mental recovery more difficult, so it becomes increasingly hard to return to a focused state.
What Can You Do to Improve Concentration?
Attention is not a fixed trait; it can be developed and depends largely on the conditions you create for yourself. You can remain truly focused when distractions are minimal, your learning environment is clean and organized, and you pay attention to your own biorhythm.
Here are a few tips that can help:
1. Create a Low-Stimulation Learning Environment
The greatest enemy of concentration is excessive stimulation. You can truly immerse yourself in a task when your environment is calm and orderly. Pay attention to the following:
- Turn off or put away your phone. Ideally, place it somewhere out of sight. Its mere presence can reduce focus.
- Close unnecessary browser tabs. While studying, keep only one window open—the one you are actively using. Block pop-ups, email notifications, and any app that might interrupt your workflow. Every sound or vibration disrupts learning, even if you don’t respond to it.
- Reduce background noise. If possible, study in a quiet environment. If not, listen to simple, monotonous background sounds (white noise).
- Minimize movement in your field of vision. If people are walking around you or there is a lot happening outside a window, your attention will automatically drift.
- Use consistent lighting. Flickering lights or overly harsh lighting can be distracting. Diffuse, even lighting supports concentration.
- Choose paper-based note-taking when possible. What you write by hand is more likely to be retained long-term than what you type or simply read.
2. Study in Short, Focused Blocks
The ability to concentrate is not unlimited, and it naturally decreases over time. That’s why it’s beneficial to take short 3–5 minute breaks after 25–40 minutes of studying. This increases efficiency and helps maintain attention over longer periods.
3. Keep Your Space Organized
A cluttered desk can easily distract you. The brain constantly processes visual stimuli—perceiving, interpreting, and filtering—which consumes a great deal of energy. Keep only what you truly need for studying on your desk.
4. Look for Alternative Sources of Dopamine
Sports or any form of physical activity, creative activities (such as drawing, painting, listening to music, or writing), and spending time in nature promote well-being in a healthy way.
5. Practice Conscious Screen Use
- Track your screen time. Simply being aware of how much time you spend in the digital space can already make a difference.
- Switch your screen to grayscale mode. This is easier on the eyes and reduces the urge to scroll continuously.
- Schedule 2–3 hours of screen-free time daily, especially before bedtime.
- Occasionally, take a “digital detox day,” intentionally excluding gadgets from your life.
How Does the Library Help?
Here you can find spaces that make it easier to create these conditions.
Individual Study Areas
Island-style desks are located in quiet study zones, each equipped with a personal lamp, power outlet, and comfortable chair to support uninterrupted learning.
Group Study Rooms
Ideal for collaborative learning and project work, fully equipped with the necessary technology for effective teamwork.
Research Booths
Small rooms separated by glass walls that help block out environmental distractions. Equipped with a desk, chair, and power outlet, they provide an ideal setting for focused study.
You can find more information and detailed descriptions of the study spaces here.
And Finally, a Fresh Book Recommendation on the Topic
Why do addictions develop so frequently in people’s lives? Why have coffee drinking, smoking, or compulsive internet use become so widespread?
Why do we feel lonely even when surrounded by many people? Why is life so stressful, and why are obesity, allergies, and depression becoming increasingly common?
In his new book, psychologist Tamás Bereczkei examines how the accelerated pace and stimulus-rich nature of modern life collide with the way the human brain has adapted over thousands of years.
The book can be borrowed from the open shelves on the 2nd floor of the Knowledge Center.
Call number: 150 B 53
Sources
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Desai, D., Patel, J., Saiyed, F., Upadhyay, H., Kariya, P., & Patel, J. (2024). A literature review on holistic well-being and dopamine fasting: An integrated approach. Cureus, 16(6), e61643. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.61643
Haliti-Sylaj, T., & Sadiku, A. (2024). Impact of short reels on attention span and academic performance of undergraduate students. Eurasian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 10(3), 60–68. https://doi.org/10.32601/ejal.10306
Jia, D. Y., & Wang, Y. (2025). Endless scrolling: Predictors of procrastinatory short-form video use and its effects on stress and sleep. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. https://doi.org/10.1177/21522715251404199
Lodge, J. M., & Harrison, W. J. (2019). The role of attention in learning in the digital age.Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, 92(1), 21–28.
Ruzzante, F., Cevolani, G., & Panizza, F. (2025). Scrolling to wisdom: The impact of social media news exposure on knowledge perception. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 33(1), 11. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-025-02786-3
Sharpe, B. T., & Spooner, R. A. (2025). Dopamine-scrolling: A modern public health challenge requiring urgent attention. Perspectives in Public Health, 145(4), 190–191. https://doi.org/10.1177/17579139251331914
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Zickerick, B., Kobald, S. O., Thönes, S., Küper, K., Wascher, E., & Schneider, D. (2021). Don’t stop me now: Hampered retrieval of action plans following interruptions. Psychophysiology, 58(2), e13725. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.13725
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