How to maintain comfort and avoid overstimulation? Here’s the advice from the experts.
For Poles, the past year was a year of stress – more than half of us felt strained at least once a week. The main causes include excessive responsibilities and overstimulation. How to take care of our brain, nervous system and mental wellbeing with the beginning of the new year? Experts in neurobiology and psychology have some advice.
According to a survey conducted for the Multi.Life Programme created by Benefit Systems, the main causes of stress experienced by Poles are excessive responsibilities and lack of time (48% of respondents). These are followed by overstimulation (47%) as well as pressure related to family, professional and social expectations (45%). Stress also has other faces: health problems (42%), sleep difficulties (35%), having to make too many decisions in a short time (36%) or an uncertain financial situation (33%). More than half of Poles admit that they experience stress at least once a week, and one in four Poles – every day or almost every day.
Firstly: quiet
Since so many sources of stress are related to excess stimuli, the question arises: can consciously reducing the “noise” protect us from burnout and help us recover? From the perspective of neurochemistry and brain biology, the answer is yes.
– The modern environment, full of noise, vibration, endless notifications and the need to be online, keeps our nervous system in a constant state of alert. High stress and continuous arousal increase the level of cortisol (the stress hormone) and decrease the level of GABA (inhibitory neurotransmitter), which is associated with calming down. Our mind loses control and constant overload leads to exhaustion of the rational prefrontal cortex – the structure necessary for decision-making and concentration. In the long term, this condition may have serious consequences. It causes atrophy of the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. What does it mean? Our memory deteriorates, our emotions are aroused, and we lose the ability to rationalise and function effectively – explains Joanna Wojsiat, PhD in biochemistry and neurochemistry at the Polish Academy of Sciences, neurobiologist, and lecturer.
One solution is to quieten down – both by limiting stimuli (including visual ones) and literally reducing noise. According to the WHO’s “Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region” report, constant and annoying noise can shorten the lives of residents of large cities by up to 10 years. Simply put, silence becomes a key neurobiological regeneration tool. It gives us the space to activate conscious control and rebuild depleted resources.
– When we are rested and calm, our prefrontal cortex – the evolutionarily youngest part of the brain – can properly manage our emotional state and make accurate, strategic decisions. Otherwise, we take shortcuts, driven by emotion, which reduces our efficiency and perpetuates the feeling of chaos – explains Dr Joanna Wojsiat.
Secondly: boredom
One of the biggest obstacles to recovery is the focus on purpose and productivity that has been established in adult life. Meanwhile, the brain in the phase of chronic fatigue needs exactly the opposite stimulus: a lack of tasks. Accepting boredom and temporary unproductivity becomes the key to unlocking cognitive potential.
– What distinguishes adults from children is the fact that we have lost the ability to lose ourselves in the process for the process’s sake. Having fun, or simply “doing nothing” for a while, is the prototype of the flow state – complete immersion in the here and now. When we let go of the constant dictate of efficiency, we let go of the clenched structures of the brain – explains Dr Joanna Wojsiat.
At these moments, the so-called default mode network (DMN) responsible for thinking about ourselves, our identity, but above all, for being creative, is activated. Only when we stop analysing and don’t check off tasks can the mind connect distant ideas and suggest new solutions. Reducing incentives is not just a relief then. It is a strategic action that allows us to rebuild the creativity and real efficiency needed to tackle large projects.
Thirdly: learning to manage our own energy
Experts emphasise that temporary rest – even when supported by quiet and boredom – is not a long-term solution to the problem of increasing overload. In the face of civilizational challenges and information noise, constant work on oneself is crucial. Overstimulation and stress require long-term strategies. Fighting them means building competencies in managing our own energy, as well as digital hygiene.
– Effective rest is essential, but it does not protect us from chronic overload in the long term. Today we need a conscious strategy to build mental resilience as well as digital hygiene competencies, and not just the occasional vacation. This includes both small, everyday habits and access to professional help. This is a field for systemic solutions that offer psychoeducation and practical support. Thanks to the tools that teach how to manage stress, energy, and exposure to stimuli (through training, webinars, consultations with experts, and exercises), we can build our resilience in today’s realities and respond to the first symptoms of exhaustion in time, minimising the risk of serious consequences and burnout – comments Dr Andrzej Silczuk, psychiatrist, Multi.Life expert.
About the survey: The survey was conducted on the Ariadna National Research Panel on a nationwide sample of N=1060 people using the CAWI method (August 2025).
Benefit Systems has been a leader in the Polish non-financial benefits market for over 20 years and one of the most important players in the fitness industry in the region. For years, the company has been setting market development directions, creating modern solutions that support employee wellbeing and promote an active lifestyle. Benefit Systems’ flagship product is the MultiSport Programme – the most recognizable and most frequently chosen sports programme in Poland, providing access to thousands of sports and recreational facilities. The company’s strong portfolio is complemented by the MyBenefit cafeteria platform and the comprehensive Multi.Life wellbeing programme, creating a unique ecosystem of benefits for companies that care about their employees. Benefit Systems is also dynamically expanding its presence abroad. The company’s sports offer is available in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Croatia and Turkey, which strengthens its position as one of the key providers of wellbeing services in Central and Eastern Europe. The group is also a major operator of fitness clubs in six markets, and in Poland it is responsible for well-known networks, including Fabryka Formy, FitFabric, Fitness Academy, My Fitness Place and Zdrofit. Benefit Systems’ mission is to inspire physical activity and care for health at every stage of life. That’s why the company runs numerous educational and health-promoting initiatives for children, adults, and seniors, including through the MultiSport Foundation. Its actions confirm that the role of a leader is not only about scale, but also about real social influence. Since 2018, Benefit Systems has been a member of the prestigious B Corp community, which brings together companies that adhere to the highest standards of responsibility and social involvement in their business. More information at benefitsystems.pl/en and biuroprasowe.benefitsystems.pl/releases/English.
