Sunny Side Up: Put that device down for a while

It’s important to stay informed, but it’s more important not to let neverending social media content consume us – nobody needs to carry the world’s pain every hour of every day. — 123rf

News once arrived in measured doses on our radios and TV screens, with broadcasters delivering reports at set times and leaving room for us to breathe. Today, the stream is constant and imposed on us without pause. The contrast with earlier times is striking. One evening in April 1930, the BBC news announcer declared, “There is no news”, before filling the rest of the segment with piano music. 

News now breaks in fragments, and speculation races ahead of facts, with assumptions made long before anything has been confirmed, reflecting how uneasy we are with uncertainty. It’s a theme I wrote about in The Tyranny of Speed (Sunway University Press, 2025). Just as we rush through life, we also rush through news, filling the gaps with opinions before information is verified.

That’s a normal impulse. 

When something shakes our sense of the world, the mind scrambles for explanations. For example, think of a relative immediately offering reasons when you’re unwell, saying it’s because you overate or lack sleep. The rush to provide an answer is a way to regain control in moments of unease.

That instinct is understandable, but in the digital age it carries risks. Rushing to fill the gaps adds to the noise, fuels rumination, and leaves us more unsettled.

Psychological research shows that repeated exposure to violent news heightens stress, anxiety, and depression, particularly when the imagery is graphic and watched repeatedly.

After the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings in the United States, people who watched hours of coverage sometimes reported more acute stress than those who’d actually been there, which shows how overexposure to information can easily affect us.

Children are especially vulnerable. Many reported nightmares, irritability, and intrusive memories even though their only exposure came through television or online sources.

Social media amplifies this, with algorithms pushing distressing clips to the top of feeds and mixing them with heated commentary. Rewatching might feel like staying informed, but it usually only prolongs distress. Even journalists and moderators who spend long hours reviewing violent material report higher rates of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress.

So, what can we do to deal with this problem? Information matters, of course, but so does how we manage it, and there are some practical steps that can help us cope with distress.

> Limit exposure: Brief, scheduled check-ins with reliable outlets beat endless scrolling. Skip clips labelled as graphic – repeated viewing amplifies distress and reinforces intrusive memories.

> Soothe your body: Find ways to calm physical tension, whether through steady breathing, stretching, praying, or simply slowing your pace. The body reacts instantly to distress and needs reassurance, which helps calm the mind in turn.

> Limit commentary: Much of what we see online and on TV is repeated commentary with very little new information added. Once you have the main news, take breaks from the noise to avoid being overwhelmed.

> Ease up: Even a few hours away from devices alleviates distress. For children it’s worth making sure they’re not left to watch upsetting material on their own at night.

> Give something back: Find ways to help a cause or project, whether through volunteering, or community work – it restores agency and reminds us that kindness is more widespread than news headlines suggest.

These steps might sound simple, but they work, because distress registers in the nervous system almost instantly before thought can intervene, and so mindful changes to our habits can give the body a chance to reset.

It’s also worth remembering why negative stories often dominate social media feeds. Bad news captures attention, and platforms amplify what keeps us scrolling. It’s sometimes said that “attention is currency”, and if that’s so, then we can choose to spend it wherever we like. We can decide when to switch off, what to watch, and how to use our time. Protecting ourselves from overload isn’t avoiding being informed, but rather a sensible approach to take care of our emotional health.

The world is still full of goodness, though it rarely makes headlines. In our families and our communities there’s likely plenty of meaning, joy, and purpose to be found that can dispel any feelings of helplessness or despair.

That said, we might feel compelled to keep on top of current affairs and know what’s going on, which is perfectly fine. It’s important to stay informed, but it’s more important not to let neverending social media content consume us – nobody needs to carry the world’s pain every hour of every day.

Sometimes, the most hopeful act we can do for ourselves and others is to put our devices down for a while and spend time enjoying experiences and people who bring us genuine connection and joy.

Sunny Side Up columnist Sandy Clarke has long held an interest in emotions, mental health, mindfulness and meditation. He believes the more we understand ourselves and each other, the better societies we can create. If you have any questions or comments, e-mail [e-mail]. The views expressed here are entirely the writer's own.