Brain In Overdrive? Here’s How To Stay Calm And Focused In A Tech-Driven World
Brain In Overdrive? Here’s How To Stay Calm And Focused In A Tech-Driven World
Author: Dr. Kim Celmer, Naturopathic Physician
Ever wake up feeling like your brain’s already in overdrive — before your feet even hit the floor? In today’s hyper-connected world, our attention is under constant siege. Between the glow of screens, relentless notifications, and the digital noise that never sleeps, technology has become a primary driver of stress and distraction. But here’s the good news: you don’t need a digital detox retreat to reclaim your focus. With a few intentional habits, you can restore calm and clarity right where you are.
In this article, Naturopathic Physician Dr. Kim Celmer shares daily strategies to support your body’s natural rhythm, promote calm, and sharpen your focus. Think of this as your go-to guide for staying centered in a world that won’t stop scrolling.
Morning moves: Start strong, stay grounded
How you begin your day sets the tone for how your body and brain respond to stress. These habits can help anchor your mornings and boost focus throughout the day.
Avoid scrolling for the first 30 minutes. Your body may react to a frustrating email or the addition of a task to your to-do list by releasing stress hormones like cortisol. While these hormones are meant to protect your body and mind during stressful moments, they can be counterintuitive when overreleased early in the morning, and lead to prolonged anxiety and difficulty concentrating as the day goes on.¹
Get outside. Just 10 minutes of natural morning sunlight helps balance your circadian rhythm — aka your body’s internal clock. When your eyes take the sunlight in, your brain registers that the day has begun, and signals the body to start releasing melatonin and cortisol at the appropriate times throughout the day. However, without giving your brain this signal, it may, for example, overproduce melatonin in the afternoon, leading to drowsiness and difficulty focusing.²
Move a little. Even 10 minutes of gentle movement — stretching, yoga, a quick walk — activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping you stay calm and focused. Physical activity also boosts dopamine and serotonin levels, enhancing both mood and attention.³
Fuel for focus: Eat with intention
What you eat isn’t just about nutrition — it’s about how you feel, think, and function. Here’s how to eat for all-day energy and focus:
Prioritize protein and healthy fats. You’ve likely heard the buzz around high-protein diets — and for good reason. Protein helps stabilize blood sugar, which supports mood and mental clarity.⁴ Low levels can leave your brain foggy and irritable. Check the dietary guidelines for your age and height to ensure you’re getting enough. And don’t forget healthy fats: your brain is about 70% fat, making them essential for memory and learning.
Add omega-3s. Found in walnuts, fish, and chia seeds, these essential fats are like brain food, supporting memory and cognition.
Skip the coffee and scroll break. After several hours of the work day have passed, it can be tempting to re-up on caffeine (and check notifications or feeds while you sip). However, even in moderate amounts, caffeine can lead to jitteriness and increased blood pressure. And while you may feel like you’re “flying” through your work after a cup of coffee, you’re also likely pushing your body into a stress state to do so.
Hydrate all day long. Some of the first symptoms of dehydration are headaches and fatigue, so your perceived stress or lack of focus might have a simpler solution than you once thought — drinking more water. Our bodies lose water in ways we don’t always notice, like through breathing or water evaporating from our skin (even when we’re not sweating). So, in addition to drinking water first thing in the morning, stay hydrated by keeping water nearby all day, as well as by eating hydrating foods like fresh fruits and veggies.
Mindful movement: Reset your focus hourly
Staring at screens all day? You’re not alone. Our brains aren’t wired for eight-hour stretches of focus, but a five-minute movement break every hour can work wonders. A couple ideas:
Walk and stretch: Moving your body in these simple ways can improve circulation and refresh your brain, helping you concentrate better when you return to your task.⁵
Invest in a headset: This way, you can do everything from taking calls to brainstorming away from your desk. With freedom to roam, you can squeeze in brief physical activities like bike rides, short core workouts, or even dance breaks.
Tame the tech: Reclaim your headspace
Our devices are brilliant — and also kind of the worst when it comes to stress and distraction. Here’s how to use them without letting them run your day:
Batch your emails. Set specific times to check email and messages instead of constantly reacting to pings. This preserves your mental bandwidth for what matters most.
Turn off nonessential notifications. The fewer interruptions, the better your focus.
Use blue light filters. Blue light, the type of light emitted by our devices, can suppress melatonin production which is, again, key for maintaining circadian rhythm.⁶ Use screen filters like F.Lux or Night Shift to reduce eye strain and help regulate your wake-sleep-cycle.
Create screen-free zones. Designate a no-tech time each day (30–60+ minutes). This could be during dinner, a walk, or hands-on activities like coloring or gardening.
Skip screens before bed. Give yourself a 30–60 minute wind-down, ensuring work emails and tomorrow’s stressors can’t reach you. Instead of scrolling, read a book or try an app like Calm to support better sleep and stress relief.
In a world wired for distraction, choosing presence over pings is a radical act of self-care. It’s not about perfection; it’s about intention.
So tomorrow, before the scroll, sip water. Step outside before you swipe. Trade the algorithm for a five-minute walk. These simple swaps are how we reclaim focus, lower stress, and reconnect — not just to ourselves, but to what really matters.
Dr. Kim Celmer (ND) is a Naturopathic Physician and Owner of the Institute of Complementary Medicine. Dr. Celmer has spent over 25 years providing comprehensive care focusing on age management, hormone optimization, and general primary care that is both integrated and personalized. She is a member of the Institute for Natural Medicine.
Sources
1 Healthdirect Australia. (n.d.). The role of cortisol in the body. Retrieved April 23, 2025, from https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/the-role-of-cortisol-in-the-body
2 National Institute of General Medical Sciences. (n.d.). Circadian rhythms. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved April 23, 2025, from https://www.nigms.nih.gov/education/fact-sheets/Pages/circadian-rhythms
3 Hospital for Special Surgery. How the Parasympathetic Nervous System Can Lower Stress. HSS.edu. Retrieved April 23, 2025, from https://www.hss.edu/article_parasympathetic-nervous-system.asp
4 UCLA Health. (n.d.). Are you getting enough protein? Here's what happens if you don't. Retrieved April 23, 2025, from https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/are-you-getting-enough-protein-heres-what-happens-if-you-dont
5 Pittman, R. N. (2011). Regulation of tissue oxygenation. Morgan & Claypool Life Sciences. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Retrieved April 23, 2025, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK54112/
6 Alam, M., Abbas, K., Sharf, Y., & Khan, S. (2024). Impacts of blue light exposure from electronic devices on circadian rhythm and sleep disruption in adolescent and young adult students. Chronobiology in Medicine. Retrieved April 23, 2025, from https://doi.org/10.33069/cim.2024.0004
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