{"id":35190,"date":"2025-03-04T13:38:27","date_gmt":"2025-03-04T18:38:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/whatsgood.vitaminshoppe.com\/?p=35190"},"modified":"2025-04-07T11:30:51","modified_gmt":"2025-04-07T15:30:51","slug":"brain-rot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Brain Rot’ Isn\u2019t Just An Internet Meme\u2014And You May Have It"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your screen time continues to tick higher and higher, you\u2019re part of a very large club. Indeed, the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">average<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> American spends <a href=\"https:\/\/explodingtopics.com\/blog\/screen-time-stats#top-screen-time-stats\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">seven hours and three minutes<\/a> looking at a screen each day. (Cue the collective sigh.)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We all know too much screen time is a bad thing\u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and if you’re racking up hours of endless scrolling and swiping, you might be at risk of what the internet refers to as \u201cbrain rot.\u201d <\/span>The visceral term may sound farfetched, but it describes a very real phenomenon. In fact, the <a href=\"https:\/\/corp.oup.com\/word-of-the-year\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oxford Dictionary<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> even dubbed \u201cbrain rot\u201d its “2024 Word of the Year” after tracking a 230 percent increase in usage from the prior year, pointing to a growing interest and concern.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>So, what does brain rot actually mean\u2014and is it messing with your ability to function at your sharpest? Here, experts break down the ways our toxic love affair with technology impacts our cognition, plus what you can do to keep brain rot at bay and your noggin healthy.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em style=\"font-family: 'Josefin Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem; font-weight: bold; text-transform: uppercase;\"><strong>ABOUT OUR EXPERTS: <\/strong><\/em><em><em><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ascendantny.com\/contributors\/michael-genovese\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>Michael Genovese<\/i><\/a><i>, M.D., is a neurologist and chief medical advisor of <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ascendantny.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>Ascendant New York<\/i><\/a><i>. <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/theshiftclinic.com.au\/team\/katherine-maslen-naturopath-herbalist\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>Katherine Maslen<\/i><\/a><i>, N.D., is a naturopathic doctor, nutritionist, and founder of <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/theshiftclinic.com.au\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>The Shift Clinic<\/i><\/a><i>. <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/road2wellness.co\/staff\/janet-bayramyan-generales-lcsw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>Janet Bayramyan<\/i><\/a><i>, L.C.S.W., is a licensed clinical social worker and founder of <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/road2wellness.co\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>Road to Wellness Therapy<\/i><\/a><i>. <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/kaitlyncomeau.com\/about\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>Kaitlyn Comeau<\/i><\/a><i>, R.D., P.N.1-S.S.R., is a registered dietitian, fitness instructor, and habit and recovery coach.<\/i><\/span><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Brain Rot, Explained<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cBrain rot is the informal and trendy term used to describe cognitive decline, mental fatigue, or an inability to focus,\u201d says <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/road2wellness.co\/staff\/janet-bayramyan-generales-lcsw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Janet Bayramyan<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, L.C.S.W., a licensed clinical social worker and founder of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/road2wellness.co\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Road to Wellness Therapy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It refers to mental sluggishness, a short attention span, difficulty with deep thinking or problem-solving, and forgetfulness that specifically result from excessive screen time, exorbitant social media usage, and passive content consumption like doom scrolling and binge-watching, she explains.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The term itself is not a medical term, but reflects real concerns of cognitive overload and digital fatigue, says <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ascendantny.com\/contributors\/michael-genovese\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Michael Genovese<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, M.D., a neurologist and chief medical advisor of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ascendantny.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ascendant New York<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. \u201cT<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here is no official clinical diagnosis for brain rot, but <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/journals\/cognition\/articles\/10.3389\/fcogn.2023.1203077\/full\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">research<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has linked digital overconsumption to difficulties with memory retention, decreased ability to focus, and increased mental fatigue, all of which can impact productivity and overall well-being,\u201d he explains.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Read More: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/checklist-for-better-focus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Struggling To Focus? This Checklist Will Get You In The Zone<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In other words, while brain rot may be the subject of plenty of internet memes, it’s no laughing matter.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u201cPeople often joke about brain rot on social media, but the reality is that excessive digital content consumption can have real cognitive consequences,\u201d Genovese says. \u201cThe brain thrives on deep thinking, novelty, and real-world interaction, and when constantly exposed to quick, shallow, and overstimulating content, it can become less capable of retaining information, engaging in critical thinking, or maintaining attention.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Genovese is far from the only health expert concerned about the role of technology in our daily lives. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe need to be very conscious of what we allow ourselves to be exposed to, because even though brain rot is a term that describes this modern-day malady, it could someday become an actual diagnosis,\u201d shares naturopathic doctor <a href=\"https:\/\/theshiftclinic.com.au\/team\/katherine-maslen-naturopath-herbalist\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Katherine Maslen<\/a>, N.D. Fun TikTok content aside, the impact of screen time on our ability to function is nightmarishly serious.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>How To Avoid Brain Rot<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>While completely avoiding screens is likely an impossibility these days, you’re not doomed to feel like a foggier, less focused version of yourself from here on out. Crafting a relationship with technology and taking other lifestyle measures to protect the boundless potential of your brain takes some work, but it <em>is<\/em> possible\u2014and worthwhile! Here’s how to get started.<\/p>\n<h3><b>1. Limit Mindless Scrolling<\/b><b><\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Endless scrolling fries focus, wears down memory, and can <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC9966679\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">increase stress and anxiety<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, according to Genovese. That’s why he recommends making conscious daily efforts to put <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">down your phone and engage in activities that require concentration and deep thinking, such as reading or problem-solving puzzles like sudoku. \u201cDeep-focus activities help strengthen cognitive function and participating in activities like reading long-form articles, learning a new skill, or having meaningful conversations can improve attention span and memory retention,\u201d he says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>To make this easier, set some ground rules around your screen time, suggests <a href=\"https:\/\/kaitlyncomeau.com\/about\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kaitlyn Comeau<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, R.D., P.N.1-S.S.R., a registered dietitian, fitness instructor, and habit and recovery coach. Change settings on social media to limit targeted content, turn off notifications, and schedule intentional social media breaks (Screen-Free Sundays, anyone?).\u00a0<\/span><b><\/b><\/p>\n<h3><b>2. Move Your Body<\/b><b><\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cExercise is like Miracle-Gro for your brain because it boosts blood flow, sharpens thinking, and improves neuroplasticity (your brain\u2019s ability to adapt, rewire, and grow),\u201d Comeau says. Movement also helps reduce cortisol, a stress hormone that can accumulate from excessive digital media consumption and ultimately contribute to mental fatigue and impaired cognitive function, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0306453021002109?via%3Dihub\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">research<\/span><\/a> suggests<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>While the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/odphp.health.gov\/our-work\/nutrition-physical-activity\/physical-activity-guidelines\/current-guidelines\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans’<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> recommendation of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and two muscle-strengthening sessions per week is a good baseline to aim for, Bayramyan also suggests making a point to move<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for a few minutes every hour throughout the day to boost focus and support brain health.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>3. Get Enough Sleep<\/b><b><\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYour brain takes out the mental trash while you sleep, so you need rest to give your body the rest it deserves,\u201d Comeau says. Scientifically speaking, during sleep, your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/34902819\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">brain\u2019s glymphatic system<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> flushes out toxins that accumulate during the day, which is important for maintaining healthy cognition and overall brain function.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Read More: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/bad-sleep\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">6 Ways Your Health Takes A Hit After A Single Night Of Bad Sleep<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While chronic sleep deprivation leads to memory lapses and sluggish thinking,<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> adequate shuteye reduces the mental fog associated with digital overload by allowing the body to repair and process memories, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.annualreviews.org\/docserver\/fulltext\/psych\/72\/1\/annurev-psych-010419-050815.pdf?expires=1740854814&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=FAE64EA3CE39025A8D61163B370F06E2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">research<\/a> suggests. Experts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> recommend prioritizing at least seven to nine hours of quality rest a night\u2014even if it means pressing pause on your latest TV series just when things are getting good.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>4. Feed Your Brain The Good Stuff<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC8364152\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Research<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> suggests the brain uses at least 20 percent of the energy the body receives from food, but that doesn\u2019t mean you should consider the kitchen a free-for-all. High-sugar and processed foods <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC10780393\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">reduce cognitive function<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, while whole foods rich in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/c\/vitamins-supplements\/antioxidants\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">antioxidants<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/c\/vitamins-supplements\/supplements\/fish-oil-omegas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">omega-3 fatty acids<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/c\/vitamins-supplements\/minerals\/iron\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">iron<\/a>, and other nutrients help protect against cognitive decline, Comeau says.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A well-balanced diet\u2014think protein, healthy fats, and plenty of fruits and veggies\u2014is the basic recipe for brain power success. Once you’ve got that foundation down, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Comeau recommends regularly incorporating salmon, berries, dark leafy greens, and nuts to keep your brain extra sharp since these foods are packed with brain-boosting nutrients like omega-3s and antioxidants.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>5. Smarten Up On Supplements<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>Your supplement routine can help\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">keep your brain at the top of its game. Consider the following supplements your go-to’s for nourishing your noggin.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Lion\u2019s Mane:<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/c\/herbs-natural-remedies\/popular-herbs\/mushrooms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lion\u2019s mane<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/c\/herbs-natural-remedies\/popular-herbs\/mushrooms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">functional mushroom<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> praised for its fast-acting memory, focus, nerve health, and mood support perks, Genovese says. Many of its <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC10675414\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">benefits<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can be attributed to its bioactive compounds, hericenones and erinacines, which support the production of nerve growth factor (a protein that helps regulate the growth and survival of neurons) in the brain.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>L-theanine:<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/c\/vitamins-supplements\/supplements\/amino-acids\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">L-theanine<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/c\/vitamins-supplements\/supplements\/amino-acids\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">amino acid<\/a> primarily found in certain plant and fungal species that may sharpen your focus since it enhances the activity of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0271531724001684\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">alpha brain waves<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which are associated with a state of wakeful relaxation and enhanced learning, Genovese says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Creatine: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/c\/protein-fitness\/performance-supplements\/creatine\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Creatine<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> isn\u2019t just for muscles\u2014it also <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/33578876\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">fuels brain cells<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, supporting mental clarity and cognitive function, Comeau says. Tasks that involve concentration require ATP (the chemical form of energy cells use for power), and because creatine helps the body make more ATP, supplementation may give you a mental boost.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>6. Get Creative<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hobbies like painting, knitting, and writing <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC10670781\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">keep your brain engaged<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychiatria-danubina.com\/UserDocsImages\/pdf\/dnb_vol33_no2\/dnb_vol33_no2_133.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">improve your ability to generate new ideas<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, says Maslen. Learning a new language or playing an instrument also requires focus and deep thinking that strengthen cognitive function and memory retention, Bayramyan adds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even if you don\u2019t consider yourself a creative, try something new and remember that it’s about the process, not the outcome! Engaging your mind in something that feels difficult to learn prevents cognitive decline, Maslen encourages.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If your screen time continues to tick higher and higher, you\u2019re part of a very large club. Indeed, the average American spends seven hours and three minutes looking at a screen each day. (Cue the collective sigh.) We all know too much screen time is a bad thing\u2014and if you’re racking up hours of endless<a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/\">Read More <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">‘Brain Rot’ Isn\u2019t Just An Internet Meme\u2014And You May Have It<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":261,"featured_media":35194,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[286,5,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35190","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editors-picks","category-health","category-the-latest"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>'Brain Rot' Isn\u2019t Just An Internet Meme\u2014And You May Have It | What\u2019s Good blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Seen the term "brain rot" on social media? Here's what it refers to, why it matters, and how to keep screen time from impacting cognition.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"'Brain Rot' Isn\u2019t Just An Internet Meme\u2014And You May Have It | What\u2019s Good blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Seen the term "brain rot" on social media? Here's what it refers to, why it matters, and how to keep screen time from impacting cognition.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"What\u2019s Good blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/THEVITAMINSHOPPE\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-03-04T18:38:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-04-07T15:30:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/young-woman-scrolling-on-phone.jpg?fit=1480%2C614&ssl=1\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1480\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"614\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Andi Breitowich\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@VitaminShoppe\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@VitaminShoppe\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Andi Breitowich\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Andi Breitowich\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/aa0515ca17e1c637dceadec325e0bace\"},\"headline\":\"‘Brain Rot’ Isn\u2019t Just An Internet Meme\u2014And You May Have It\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-04T18:38:27+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-04-07T15:30:51+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/\"},\"wordCount\":1408,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/young-woman-scrolling-on-phone.jpg?fit=1480%2C614&ssl=1\",\"articleSection\":[\"Editors Picks\",\"Health\",\"The Latest\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/\",\"name\":\"'Brain Rot' Isn\u2019t Just An Internet Meme\u2014And You May Have It | What\u2019s Good blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/young-woman-scrolling-on-phone.jpg?fit=1480%2C614&ssl=1\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-04T18:38:27+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-04-07T15:30:51+00:00\",\"description\":\"Seen the term \\\"brain rot\\\" on social media? Here's what it refers to, why it matters, and how to keep screen time from impacting cognition.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/young-woman-scrolling-on-phone.jpg?fit=1480%2C614&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/young-woman-scrolling-on-phone.jpg?fit=1480%2C614&ssl=1\",\"width\":1480,\"height\":614,\"caption\":\"brain rot: young woman scrolling on phone\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Health\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/health\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"‘Brain Rot’ Isn\u2019t Just An Internet Meme\u2014And You May Have It\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"What\u2019s Good blog\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"The Vitamin Shoppe\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/whatsgood.vitaminshoppe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/v-logo.png?fit=250%2C250&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/whatsgood.vitaminshoppe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/v-logo.png?fit=250%2C250&ssl=1\",\"width\":250,\"height\":250,\"caption\":\"The Vitamin Shoppe\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/THEVITAMINSHOPPE\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/VitaminShoppe\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/vitaminshoppe\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/the-vitamin-shoppe\/\",\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/VitaminShoppe\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/TheVitaminShoppe1\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/aa0515ca17e1c637dceadec325e0bace\",\"name\":\"Andi Breitowich\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6dc1d2cf9361e5df82b3d1f182621ea604251d385f3accee4739b0601e6ac97c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6dc1d2cf9361e5df82b3d1f182621ea604251d385f3accee4739b0601e6ac97c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Andi Breitowich\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/author\/andibreitowich\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"'Brain Rot' Isn\u2019t Just An Internet Meme\u2014And You May Have It | What\u2019s Good blog","description":"Seen the term \"brain rot\" on social media? Here's what it refers to, why it matters, and how to keep screen time from impacting cognition.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"'Brain Rot' Isn\u2019t Just An Internet Meme\u2014And You May Have It | What\u2019s Good blog","og_description":"Seen the term \"brain rot\" on social media? Here's what it refers to, why it matters, and how to keep screen time from impacting cognition.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/","og_site_name":"What\u2019s Good blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/THEVITAMINSHOPPE\/","article_published_time":"2025-03-04T18:38:27+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-04-07T15:30:51+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1480,"height":614,"url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/young-woman-scrolling-on-phone.jpg?fit=1480%2C614&ssl=1","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Andi Breitowich","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@VitaminShoppe","twitter_site":"@VitaminShoppe","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Andi Breitowich","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/"},"author":{"name":"Andi Breitowich","@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/aa0515ca17e1c637dceadec325e0bace"},"headline":"‘Brain Rot’ Isn\u2019t Just An Internet Meme\u2014And You May Have It","datePublished":"2025-03-04T18:38:27+00:00","dateModified":"2025-04-07T15:30:51+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/"},"wordCount":1408,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/young-woman-scrolling-on-phone.jpg?fit=1480%2C614&ssl=1","articleSection":["Editors Picks","Health","The Latest"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/","url":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/","name":"'Brain Rot' Isn\u2019t Just An Internet Meme\u2014And You May Have It | What\u2019s Good blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/young-woman-scrolling-on-phone.jpg?fit=1480%2C614&ssl=1","datePublished":"2025-03-04T18:38:27+00:00","dateModified":"2025-04-07T15:30:51+00:00","description":"Seen the term \"brain rot\" on social media? Here's what it refers to, why it matters, and how to keep screen time from impacting cognition.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/young-woman-scrolling-on-phone.jpg?fit=1480%2C614&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/young-woman-scrolling-on-phone.jpg?fit=1480%2C614&ssl=1","width":1480,"height":614,"caption":"brain rot: young woman scrolling on phone"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/brain-rot\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Health","item":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/health\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"‘Brain Rot’ Isn\u2019t Just An Internet Meme\u2014And You May Have It"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/","name":"What\u2019s Good blog","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"The Vitamin Shoppe","url":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/whatsgood.vitaminshoppe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/v-logo.png?fit=250%2C250&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/whatsgood.vitaminshoppe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/v-logo.png?fit=250%2C250&ssl=1","width":250,"height":250,"caption":"The Vitamin Shoppe"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/THEVITAMINSHOPPE\/","https:\/\/x.com\/VitaminShoppe","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/vitaminshoppe\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/the-vitamin-shoppe\/","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/VitaminShoppe\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/TheVitaminShoppe1"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/aa0515ca17e1c637dceadec325e0bace","name":"Andi Breitowich","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6dc1d2cf9361e5df82b3d1f182621ea604251d385f3accee4739b0601e6ac97c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6dc1d2cf9361e5df82b3d1f182621ea604251d385f3accee4739b0601e6ac97c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Andi Breitowich"},"url":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/author\/andibreitowich\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/young-woman-scrolling-on-phone.jpg?fit=1480%2C614&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8QYGg-99A","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35190","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/261"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35190"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35190\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35204,"href":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35190\/revisions\/35204"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35194"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35190"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35190"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35190"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}