From Psychologies · Ava Skoupsky · · 40s
Why Taking Time Before Messaging Can Benefit Well-being
Psychologists explain how delaying message responses improves mental health.
In brief
Psychologists explain how delaying message responses improves mental health. Delaying message responses reduces stress and improves well-being by preventing cognitive overload. Originally reported by Psychologies.
Message Response Patterns
Some people leave messages unread for days while others respond immediately to notifications.
2016 Study on Response Context
Researchers found message response depends on context, situation, and potential message content.
2023 Study on Well-being
247 participants reported reduced stress and better performance after disabling notifications for one day.
Cognitive Overload Risk
Constant notifications cause cognitive, attentional, and emotional overload leading to distraction and anxiety.
The main idea
Delaying message responses reduces stress and improves well-being by preventing cognitive overload.
