From Psychologies · Ava Skoupsky · · 1m
Notifications Left Unopened
People who leave notifications unopened may have a unique way to handle overstimulation.
In brief
People who leave notifications unopened may have a unique way to handle overstimulation. People who leave notifications unopened before responding can manage overstimulation better than those who immediately open alerts. Originally reported by Psychologies.
Notifications Left Unopened
People who leave notifications unopened before responding may have a unique way to handle overstimulation.
Overstimulation in Daily Life
Overstimulation from daily notifications can overwhelm concentration and lead to cognitive, attentional, and emotional overload.
2016 Study on Response Time
A 2016 study found that important notifications can disrupt user activity and vary by individual.
2026 Study on Constant Notifications
A 2026 study reported that constant notifications drain attentional resources even without personal relevance.
Psychologist Sarah Nabeth
Psychologist Sarah Nabeth noted that accumulating digital stimuli can cause cognitive, attentional, and emotional overload.
Managing Overstimulation
Leaving notifications unopened helps manage overstimulation and maintain daily concentration.
The short version
People who leave notifications unopened before responding can manage overstimulation better than those who immediately open alerts.
