The expert gave advice on filtering the information flow

Uncontrolled consumption of information can lead to anxiety, decreased concentration, and symptoms of emotional burnout. Sima Musatova, the founder of the LUMO communication agency and Candidate of Psychological Sciences, told Izvestia about this on May 28. She explained why it is important to follow the media diet and how to properly organize the information flow.

According to the expert, the concept of a "media diet" is not just a restriction on news or social networks, but a system of conscious content consumption.

"The diet is not only about "less", it's about "right". As with food, in the information field it is important to understand exactly what you consume, in what volume and for what purpose," Musatova explained.

The constant stream of news and notifications has a serious impact on the psyche. The expert noted that many people develop so—called information anxiety, an anxious feeling that they are missing something.

"We are afraid of missing an important news, trend or event. FOMO (fear of missing out) appears, and as a result, we scroll through the tapes endlessly, and this leads to overwork," she stressed.

Information overload increases the level of cortisol, the stress hormone, destroys the ability to concentrate, and interferes with proper rest. This has a particularly strong effect on sleep quality: mind—scrolling in bed is a common cause of insomnia. A bright screen suppresses melatonin production, and a constant stream of disturbing news and annoying stimuli prevents the brain from switching to rest mode. As a result, a person goes to bed with an overloaded consciousness, which prevents falling asleep and disrupts sleep phases.

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"Short formats, such as stories or clips on social media, literally "rewire" our thinking. We lose the ability to focus deeply, and it's difficult to hold our attention for more than 5-10 minutes. This leads to mental fatigue, decreased motivation and cognitive flexibility," the expert noted.

According to her, the first step to information balance is awareness: you need to think about why you consume this or that information.

"A conscious goal is the main filter. Do I want to know, understand, or feel? Do I need it for work, self—development, recreation, or just because it's "so familiar"?" the specialist explained.

Musatova suggested dividing information sources into "food groups", similar to dietetics: the basis of the diet (books, podcasts, educational courses that promote growth and development), useful (news, analytics, non-fiction that help you stay informed), pleasure (humorous and lifestyle content), rare and limited (clickbait, conflicts, scandals — overload and provoke anxiety).

It is also important to set a time frame for information consumption: for example, twice a day for 20-30 minutes. Before going to bed and immediately after waking up, you should not view the news feed.

"It's better to use a timer or special apps that help control screen time. This reduces the level of dependence and allows you to regain your focus," the expert noted.

According to the expert, it is useful to arrange an "information detox": at least one day a week without social networks, news and the Internet. 20 minutes of silence a day is also useful — without a screen and external noise.

At the same time, according to Musatova, the most common mistake is a sharp rejection of the usual flow of information. This can lead to "information hopping": increased anxiety, fear of missing out on something important, and sometimes to breakdowns and a return to old habits.

"It is much more effective to reduce the information load gradually. Start by filtering the content, switching to high—quality sources, limit time and replace some of the consumption with actions — walking, talking with a loved one, reading," the expert concluded.

Earlier, on March 11, Olga Berg, a psychologist, supervisor and founder of the Institute of Practical Psychology and Supervision, told Izvestia that constant uncontrolled use of social networks can cause stress, anxiety, and feelings of loneliness. She recommended choosing content that inspires rather than makes you feel worse, as well as unsubscribing from accounts that cause envy, frustration, guilt, and shame.