Why Are We Tired All the Time? The Answer Might Be in Our Hands

Prateek Khanna
Jul 12
4 min read

Last night, after a long day at work, I promised myself I’d sleep early. I brushed, dimmed the lights, and set my alarm. But instead of sleeping, I reached for my phone—just to check a couple of messages. An hour later, I was still scrolling.

My mind was racing, eyes were sore, and sleep? Nowhere in sight.

This isn't just my story. It's all around me.

I see my team members logging off after a long day only to be online again—this time on social media, mindlessly consuming content.

A colleague recently shared that she often wakes up more exhausted than she was the night before.

Another friend, a startup founder, confessed that he hasn’t “actually rested” in weeks, even though he’s sleeping 6-7 hours every night.

The culprit? Endless scrolling, dopamine hits, and zero mental downtime.

So what’s going on?

We Are Mistaking Scrolling for Rest

We tell ourselves that we’re “unwinding” after a long day. But watching 15-second reels, doom-scrolling through news, or flipping between five WhatsApp groups isn’t relaxation—it's stimulation.

Our brains don’t get a chance to shut off, process the day, or enter a restful state.

Imagine finishing a marathon and then jumping on a treadmill “just to cool down.” That’s what we’re doing to our minds—never really letting them stop.

Digital Drain is Real

The blue light from screens disrupts melatonin, the sleep hormone. But it’s not just about poor sleep hygiene. The content we consume is often emotionally charged—rage, outrage, humor, envy, excitement—causing emotional fatigue. We’re not just tired; we’re drained.

I See It in Young Professionals

At my office, I see brilliant 20-somethings who struggle to focus, feel perpetually overwhelmed, and are constantly tired. It's not just the workload. It’s the fact that they never really "switch off." Even their breaks are spent watching more content—YouTube, Instagram, OTT shows—leaving no space for actual rest.

One of my interns recently said, “I slept 8 hours, but I don’t feel rested.” When I asked her about her bedtime routine, she admitted she spends an hour on Insta Reels before sleeping.

That hour of mindless scrolling? It cancels out the hours of actual sleep.

It’s Stealing Our Creativity Too

I’ve noticed this in myself—my best ideas don’t come when I’m watching 30 videos back to back. They come when I sit in silence, stare at a wall, go for a walk, or just breathe. But our minds are becoming too restless for stillness. We're losing the ability to be bored—and with it, our creativity.

So What Can We Do?

I’m not against phones or social media. I run businesses that thrive on digital platforms. But I’m beginning to realize:

Boundaries are essential.

Here’s what I’ve started trying:

No scrolling 30 minutes before sleep
Replacing that time with a book, a walk, or just quiet reflection
One screen-free day every week (still hard, but trying)
And actively encouraging my team to unplug, even during breaks

I’m not perfect at it. But I’m learning.

Because tiredness isn’t always about lack of sleep. Sometimes, it’s about lack of mental rest. And the truth is—we don’t just need rest from work. We need rest from stimulation, from noise, from the endless scroll.

If you’re feeling tired all the time, maybe it’s not your workload. Maybe it’s your scroll-load.

Let’s find our rest again.

—Prateek Human in Progress

1. Set App Time Limits

Use built-in tools like Digital Wellbeing (Android) or Screen Time (iOS) to limit daily usage of social media apps. Start small—30 minutes a day—and reduce gradually.

2. Design a Night Ritual Without Screens

Stop using your phone at least 30–60 minutes before bed. Replace it with reading, journaling, light stretching, or a walk. Let your brain wind down naturally.