Are You Using Screens Passively Or Actively Clinical Psychologist Explains Which Worsens Memory And Focus More

. Let's identify each, what you may be doing and which one adversely affects memory, attention and emotional regulation the most.

To break down both types of screen time, Neha Sinha, dementia specialist and clinical psychologist, co-founder and CEO of Epoch Elder Care, offered her expert insights to HT Lifestyle on how active and passive screen use affect memory, attention and emotional regulation.

Passive screen time is not exactly rocket science to understand, as most people are already familiar with it, and ironically quite ‘active’ with it.

“Passive screen time, characterised by mindless scrolling, autoplay content, or background media consumption, places minimal cognitive demand,” the psychologist defined what passive screen time means.

Passive screen time typically includes habits like watching a movie while scrolling through social media, lying in bed and mindlessly doomscrolling. Nowadays, even features like auto-scroll have made digital consumption even more low-effort, making it easier to keep watching or scrolling without any conscious engagement.

We asked the psychologist how many hours she usually would estimate adults spend on screen passively and which cognitive functions are teh first to get impacted.

The psychologist answered, “Adults now spend an average of 6–7 hours per day on screens, much of it passively, which has been associated with diminished working memory and increased distractibility.”

The next doubt that arises is why people develop such an affinity for passive consumption. According to the psychologist, low-effort, immediate rewards play a major role.

For example, watching a reel till the end to be rewarded with good humour and laugh about it, waiting for the mystery hook in a video to pay off till the end and so on. Instant gratification is what makes users gravitate towards passive consumption, better if the content is short-form. At present, the feature of watching reels at 2x speed is present, which further impacts the attention span.

All these end up causing these problems which teh psychologist warned about again: frustration tolerance, poor task persistence, and cognitive fatigue.

Screen time can also be productive and beneficial for mental wellbeing. This may sound counterintuitive, as screen time is associated with poor mental health. However, when used the right way, digital engagement can actually sharpen the brain.

“Active screen use, in which individuals intentionally engage in learning, creating, or problem-solving, stimulates higher-order cognitive functions. Such engagement supports attention, cognitive flexibility, and overall mental agility. Structured cognitive activities, even in digital formats, have shown benefits in improving executive functioning across age groups.”

And if you look at the last point, she mentioned, ‘all age groups’, which is very important. Screen time can be fulfilling in a meaningful way if you consume teh right way.

It can be used for many things, like skill building, learning a new language, journaling, reading, online courses, fitness sessions, puzzles and so on.

More than you consume, create something and use your devices as a tool to create and build, not only to consume passively.

Neurodegenerative conditions like dementia are progressive in nature, meaning there is no cure and the symptoms worsen over time. While dementia is associated with ageing, cases are steadily on the rise, making conversations around screen time and brain health even more important.

“Cognitive decline is often accelerated when the brain is under-stimulated. Passive routines can contribute to this ‘underuse,’ potentially worsening symptoms like memory loss, reduced attention, and slower processing,” the psychologist helped to explain, which may slow or hasten cognitive decline. “In contrast, active mental engagement helps build and maintain cognitive reserve, the brain’s ability to adapt and compensate, thereby playing a role in slowing functional decline.”

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.