In a classroom overlooking the valley in Dehradun, Archana S. Chhetri, a PGT-English teacher, has been noticing a worrying trend. Over the past few years, she has observed that the attention span of her students has sharply declined with the rise of social media.  

According to her, long hours spent on the internet and gaming apps, coupled with reduced sleeping hours, have made students restless and inattentive. “Their concentration in listening activities has dropped. Instructions aren’t adhered to at all,” she explained. What troubles her further is that some students are often caught napping in class—not out of boredom, but sheer exhaustion from late-night scrolling or gaming sessions. 

This isn’t just a teacher’s frustration. Parents too have begun voicing similar concerns. In fact, some parents have chosen not to buy mobile phones for their children—even as they grow older—for fear of exposing them too early to the endless cycle of notifications, reels, and addictive apps. 

Archana’s experience is one among countless others worldwide, reflecting a larger crisis: the shrinking human attention span in the age of social media. 

How is social media connected to our attention span?

The human brain is naturally drawn to novelty. Every time someone scrolls through Instagram reels or YouTube shorts, their brain’s reward system is activated through a release of dopamine. Over time, this constant stimulation trains users to crave quick, bite-sized bursts of information rather than longer, more sustained engagement. 

A 2024 review highlights that excessive social media use significantly affects cognitive processes, especially attention. “The majority of psychological and neuroimaging studies show that excessive time on social media correlates with shorter attention spans, reduced academic performance, as well as poorer mental health and overall well-being,” it says. 

It explains that social media platforms are engineered to provide rapid, ever-changing streams of content, which trains the brain to seek constant stimulation. This habitual switching between apps and short, fast-paced information makes it increasingly difficult for individuals to maintain prolonged focus or engage in deep, reflective thinking. Over time, these patterns can reshape neural functioning, leading to shorter attention spans, difficulty concentrating on complex tasks, and challenges in retaining information, ultimately contributing to a decline in overall cognitive endurance.

However, it also highlights that there have been some studies, though fewer, that show “no significant correlation between social media usage and attention span,” citing a study done in Mumbai, for instance, which showed there was no “significant negative impact of high levels of social media on attention span.” They then added that we need “more longitudinal studies and a standardized attention span test in order to completely understand the correlation of social media on attention span.”  

Is our attention span really dropping?

A 2015 Microsoft study popularised the idea that the average human attention span had dropped to just eight seconds, shorter than that of a goldfish. While that claim has since been debated, newer studies confirm a worrying trend: we are becoming less capable of deep focus. 

A 2024 study investigated the effects of social media addiction on attention span and aggression among university students. Using the Social Media Addiction Scale (SNAS), Aggression Questionnaire (AGQ), and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), researchers found that higher social media addiction was linked to reduced mindful attention and increased aggression. These correlations highlight how excessive social media use can negatively affect cognitive focus and emotional regulation, emphasising the need for strategies to manage usage and support students’ mental and behavioural well-being. 

A 2025 study by Alina Poles examined young adults and found a clear negative correlation between excessive social media use (especially rapid, fragmented content like TikTok and Snapchat) and cognitive performance. The study showed that heavy usage leads to reduced sustained attention, diminished working memory, and impaired cognitive control, accompanied by increased anxiety and lower self-esteem.  

Damini Sharma, a counseling psychologist based in Delhi, observed: ” We’ve seen a dramatic increase in social media usage across all age groups. Even very young children now have accounts on Instagram and other platforms, often without sufficient parental supervision. This exposure can contribute to emotional issues such as anxiety, impulsivity, and aggression. Social media gives instant access to information, friends, and gratification, which makes it difficult for people, especially adolescents, to wait or regulate their impulses.” 

Sharma noted that the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated these trends. Before the pandemic, parents exercised more control over devices and screen time. However, during lockdowns, children gained immediate, unsupervised access to phones and computers for online classes, which eroded previous boundaries. Even now, in schools, assignments and communications frequently take place through WhatsApp, making constant screen interaction almost unavoidable. 

Sharma also highlighted the effects on adults: “Even adults struggle with self-control. The culture of extremely short content videos lasting seconds or a minute has significantly reduced attention spans. People now skim summaries of novels instead of reading them fully, and some can’t even watch a full movie without distraction. This constant switching affects relationships too: time spent with family or friends often centers on online presence rather than genuine connection.” 

How to regain focus? 

Sharma stressed that strategies to regain focus must be tailored according to age.

“For toddlers and preteens, the first and foremost step is either not introducing screens or doing so with strict limitations. They might get one hour of screen time or TV time, and that should be on bigger screens, like TVs or laptops—not phones. Importantly, avoid letting them watch YouTube Shorts or Instagram Reels, which are highly stimulating and habit-forming,” she explained.  

Sharma noted that for adolescents and young adults who have already developed habitual social media usage, short-term digital detoxes- such as a 48-hour or one-week break are insufficient. She explained that while such detoxes might have temporary effects, they are not sustainable in the long run. According to her, the long-term solution lies in gradually rebuilding discipline. 

“At night, instead of scrolling through social media, return to reading books or novels. Start small—maybe half an hour of screen-free time daily, doing anything offline: gardening, cooking, baking, or other hobbies. Slowly increase this allotted screen-free time. The key is consistency, not intensity,” she suggested.  

Sharma emphasised engaging in offline activities: “Games like puzzles, Sudoku, and creative activities like art or Mandala colouring are effective. They help develop attention spans and mindfulness. Rather than setting huge targets for a week or a month, break it into small, manageable goals. Gradually, these can evolve into long-term habits that restore focus and attention.” 

After outlining practical strategies to rebuild focus, it becomes clear why such interventions are necessary. In his book The Shallows, author Nicholas Carr argues that the internet is reshaping our cognitive processes. He describes this transformation as moving from deep, contemplative thinking to a more superficial mode of skimming and clicking. Carr suggests that constant online engagement, especially through social media, encourages rapid switching between tasks, which can impair our ability to focus, think critically, and engage in sustained reflection. This shift, he contends, may have profound implications for our intellectual and emotional well-being. 

The paradox, however, is that social media is not going away. It has become deeply integrated into communication, education, and entertainment. The challenge, then, is not to abandon it but to use it mindfully—recognising its influence on our brains and taking deliberate steps to reclaim control. 

Also read: Get off your phone and redeem your attention span