A recent article in National Geographic offers insights on how cognitive biases play a role in how we experience the world and how “unfettered media consumption skews our perception of the present.”

Our tendency to focus on current dangers and threats, the article reports, has roots in human evolutionary development: “They put our brains on high alert, an advantage that once protected our early hominid ancestors from predators and natural disasters, but one that now leaves us ‘doomscrolling’, endlessly refreshing social media and online news to stay abreast of the latest threats.”

The article cites a 2017 survey by the American Psychological Association showing that those who frequently monitored the news cycle reported less sleep and more stress and anxiety. “The same survey found as many as 20 percent of American constantly monitor their social media feeds for updates, and one in 10 check the news every hour.”

Since our brains have the natural tendency to judge the present more harshly, the article says, experts advise that “learning to tame your persistent negative beliefs or your penchant for looking at the past through rose-colored glasses could act as a much-needed respite from this year’s stress.”