Poles feel overstimulated. As many as half of them experience stress related to the excess of information and notifications.
According to a nationwide survey commissioned by Multi.Life, nearly half of Poles experience stress due to information, notification and stimuli overload. We receive hundreds of signals every day, from work emails to application alerts. Due to stimuli coming from both our private and professional lives, we feel increasingly stressed and older than our age.
Overload is the norm, not the exception
The results of a survey commissioned by Benefit Systems, the supplier of the Multi.Life wellbeing platform, indicate that overstimulation is currently one of the main sources of stress (47%), alongside closely related factors, such as pressure of expectations (45%) or excess responsibilities and lack of time (48%). By definition, overstimulation is a state of psychophysical overload of the body, in which the excess of stimuli, e.g. low-quality Internet content (so-called content pollution), exceeds the nervous system’s ability to process them. Being online most of the day and the need to react quickly, both professionally and privately, have become a burden of modern civilisation. Women feel this most strongly. As many as 41% of them admit that they experience overstimulation often, and 13% – very often. At the same time, overstimulation most often affects young people (18–34 years old) and residents of large and mega cities.
– We live in a culture of constant availability and efficiency. Our nervous system is not designed to process the huge amount of data and notifications we encounter every day. This depletes our resources and can cause stress. Chronic multitasking and digital overload lead to a condition known as information fatigue. This phenomenon has measurable neurological effects. It overloads the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for executive functions such as planning, concentration and self-control. This leads to impaired ability to concentrate, memory impairment and, consequently, decreased productivity. Constant notifications and the need to switch between tasks train the brain to process information superficially. This can lead to a permanent change in neural pathways, making deep, analytical thinking difficult – comments Dr. Andrzej Silczuk, psychiatrist and Multi.Life expert.
Stress that takes away our youth and efficiency
Importantly, information overload and the stress associated with it also influence how we perceive ourselves and our age. The survey shows that as many as 40% of Poles admit that stress makes them feel older than their age. This shows that excess stimuli not only increase the level of tension but also rob us of energy and the subjective feeling of youth. At the same time, as many as 54% of respondents admit that they experience stress at least once a week. Since chronic stress also accelerates biological ageing, the conclusions are simple – through overstimulation, we age not only subjectively, but also objectively, because real, physical changes occur in our bodies.
How to protect yourself from overstimulation?
Experts emphasise that in a world where information, notifications and stimuli are pressing at us from all sides, the ability to cope with information noise is becoming one of the most important skills of the 21st century. The key is to create our own “buffers.” It’s about digital hygiene, limiting time online and consciously turning off notifications, as well as reaching for natural regenerative mechanisms. Regular physical activity and relaxation techniques also play an important role.
– The sources of stress today are multidimensional and almost impossible to avoid. That is why it is so important to learn stress management and build mental resilience. This is a preventive measure that protects physical and mental health but also reduces the risk of burnout. Employers are increasingly recognising this and, in response to the growing scale of sickness absence, are investing in wellbeing programmes that combine the emotional and somatic dimensions. Tools like Multi.Life support employees in their daily choices – from sleep and diet monitoring to psychological consultations and mental resilience training, including digital hygiene and relaxation techniques. This is a signal that maintaining balance in a world of excessive stimuli is becoming not only an individual challenge, but also a strategic element of building healthy organisations – summarises Dr. Andrzej Silczuk.
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.
Barbara Jastrzębska
Benefit Systems has been operating on the Polish market for over two decades and is one of the leaders in providing non-financial benefits that support employee wellbeing. The company is the creator of the MultiSport Programme, which enables physical activity in sports facilities throughout the country. Its portfolio also includes the MyBenefit cafeteria platform and the MultiLife wellbeing programme. For several years now, the company’s sports offer has been developed on foreign markets, including the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Turkey. The Benefit Systems Group also operates fitness clubs (in Poland it is responsible for Fabryka Formy, FitFabric, Fitness Academy, Good Luck, My Fitness Place, Saturn Fitness, StepONE, Total Fitness and Zdrofit networks). An important area of Benefit Systems activities is the promotion of an active lifestyle at every stage of life, which is why the company implements initiatives supporting physical activity of children, adults, and seniors, also as part of the MultiSport Foundation. Since 2018, Benefit Systems has been part of the global B Corp initiative, bringing together companies operating and engaging in solving the most important social problems. More information can be found at benefitsystems.pl/en.
