Your brain wasn’t designed for this. 

By 9am, you’ve checked your emails, scrolled TikTok, scanned news alerts, and dodged at least one too-perfect “miracle wellness hack.” Half the time, you’re left wondering: is any of this even real?

Welcome to AI anxiety — the uneasy stress response that comes from living in the information age, where AI generated content blends seamlessly with human output. Studies suggest this flood of new data is fuelling information overload — the point where the sheer volume of incoming information exceeds the human brain’s processing capacity. The result? Constant micro-stress, decision fatigue, and focus that feels permanently fried.

And here’s the kicker: in dark November nights, when we spend more time indoors and online, that stress multiplies.

Cheat Sheet (For When You’re Overloaded Already)

• The issue: AI generated text, deepfakes and clickbait wellness hacks are blurring truth and fuelling misinformation.
• Why it matters: Every “is this real?” moment spikes stress and cognitive overload.
• The seasonal twist: Shorter days + more screens = heightened stress levels in November.
• Your calm toolkit: Curate feeds, practise critical thinking, and use coping strategies that reset the nervous system.

For a deeper dive — keep reading.

The Digital Age and the Flood of Information

The idea of “too much information” isn’t new. Back in the 1970s, the term information overload was already being studied by business researchers who warned of the negative effects on decision makers. But AI has accelerated the problem to a point that feels existential.

Think of it like this: the printing press expanded access to books. Search engines expanded access to data. But AI generation? It creates content faster than humans can ever process — a sheer volume of text, video, and images that leaves us in a fog.

One study on social media overload found that excessive information, especially when combined with constant communication and social comparison, directly contributed to anxiety and reduced health outcomes (PMC, 2023).

In other words: it’s not just the irrelevant information that clogs your feed. It’s the overwhelming amount of everything.

How AI Generated Content Fuels Cognitive Overload

AI content is persuasive because it feels human. From LinkedIn thought-leadership posts to AI-written medical data blogs, the line between genuine expertise and generated content is paper-thin.

A recent ScienceDirect study (2025) showed that exposure to false health information online can erode trust in medical professionals and make patient interactions more difficult (ScienceDirect, 2025). If misinformation can undermine something as vital as healthcare, imagine what it does to your everyday stress levels.

Here’s how it plays out at the task and process level:

• You’re trying to process information for a decision.
• Instead of one clear source, you get an immense multitude of AI generated content — some credible, some not.
• Your brain struggles to separate essential information from noise.
• This cognitive overload slows your processing capacity and increases anxiety.

It’s no longer just about misinformation. It’s about the constant micro-doubt that keeps your nervous system on alert.

The Nervous System Toll of Information Overload

Every time you stop mid-scroll to think “truth concealed?” or “is this clickbait?” — your body reacts as if to a threat.

• Cortisol rises.
• Heart rate increases.
• Focus narrows, as if danger is imminent.

This is your fight or flight response kicking in. Normally, you’d recover. But when you face hundreds of these moments per day, your nervous system never resets.

That’s why information overload has such a significant impact on mental and physical health. Researchers describe this cycle as “data smog” — a polluted information environment that creates long-term stress and fatigue.

A Nature study confirmed that when people feel cognitive overload, they become more vulnerable to misinformation and more likely to share it themselves (Nature, 2023). Stress, fatigue, and confusion don’t just harm well being — they spread the problem.

Why November Makes It Worse

The external factors of seasonality amplify AI anxiety. Darker evenings mean more time indoors and more screen time. Reduced sunlight lowers serotonin, making you more prone to anxiety and fatigue. Combine the two, and you’re left battling both biological low mood and digital overload.

Instead of winding down, many of us use evenings to scroll — consuming an overwhelming amount of new data, from emails to wellness hacks to news alerts. That endless flow of incoming information stretches the nervous system thin, leaving you wired but exhausted.

Coping Strategies to Manage Information Overload

The solution isn’t to reject new technologies altogether — AI tools are here to stay. It’s to address information overload with smarter habits and preventive measures.

Audit Your Information Diet

• Screening process: Before engaging, ask — does this meet my user needs, or is it irrelevant information?
• Search strategy: Stick to high quality content from trusted outlets (e.g. Harvard Business Review for business psychology).
• Organisational strategies: Limit e-mails by setting filters, unsubscribe from newsletters, and use apps that sort essential information first.

Strengthen Critical Thinking & Information Literacy

• Practise information literacy — learn to identify AI generated text patterns and fact-check claims.
• Build a short list of trust anchors (e.g. NHS, WHO, or academic journals) and return to them when in doubt.
• Use deliberate pauses in your information search to stop cognitive overload from spiralling.

Reset Your Nervous System

• Use breathing techniques like the "physiological sigh" to regulate stress in under 2 minutes.
• Break up complex tasks with physical movement — proven to combat cognitive overload and restore focus.
• Create tech boundaries for yourself: no screens in bed, no doomscrolling before sleep.

Social and Preventive Measures

• Swap digital interaction for in-person social interactions when possible — real conversations cut through data smog.
• Use light therapy in winter months to support mood regulation.
• Remember: coping strategies aren’t one-size-fits-all — adapt them to your lifestyle.

The Bigger Picture — Beyond Personal Hacks

This isn’t just about individuals. Researchers warn that societies face a risk of societal cognitive overload — where the sheer volume of generated content undermines collective decision making (Arxiv, 2025).

For businesses, information systems must adapt with new filtering mechanisms and interaction design strategies. For individuals, the challenge is finding coping strategies that balance productivity with calm.

The digital age requires more than resilience. It demands a shift in how we define high quality content, build trust, and preserve wellbeing in the face of an overwhelming amount of noise.

CHILL's Takeaway

AI generation isn’t slowing down. From wellness blogs to business psychology papers, generated content will keep multiplying. The stress doesn’t come from the information itself — it comes from how our brains process it.

By auditing what you consume, sharpening your information literacy, and building nervous system resets into your day, you can combat information overload and protect your calm.

Because at the end of the day, the best way to beat AI anxiety is simple: you don’t need to process every headline, hack, or hot take. You just need to choose what truly matters.

Stress Less. Live More.