Avoid Checking Your Phone Immediately After Waking Up: Doctor Explains the Impact on the Brain

Have you ever woken up in the morning and immediately reached for your mobile phone? Whether it’s to check notifications, read messages, browse social media, or see the latest news, this habit is often done unconsciously.

Music therapist and counsellor from Mumbai, Dr. Roshan Mansukhani, explains that the brain needs time to transition from a state of rest to being fully ready for activity.

“Even a car engine needs time to warm up before it’s driven. We also have an engine called the mind that needs time to rest, not be jolted awake,” said Mansukhani, as quoted by Only My Health, Saturday (16/5/2026).

During this phase, the brain is adjusting itself to optimally process information.

If someone immediately opens their phone, the brain is forced to receive various stimuli at once.

From work notifications, news, incoming messages, to social media content that can trigger certain emotions. According to Mansukhani, this condition causes the brain to experience a sudden shock.

“When we immediately use our phones, we are shaking our minds and adding fuel to that addictive habit,” he said.

As a result, the body’s natural waking process is disrupted and a person is more likely to feel rushed from the morning.

One of the main reasons why it is not recommended to immediately open your phone after waking up is the risk of information overload.

For example, urgent work emails, negative news, or social media posts that trigger anxiety.

All of this can trigger a stress response even before a person has actually started their day.

This condition causes the body to enter a state of high alert or hyper-vigilance, which is a state where the brain is constantly overly vigilant.

If this happens continuously, this habit can increase emotional tension throughout the day. Instead of feeling refreshed after sleeping, a person actually feels anxious, burdened, or has difficulty focusing.