Free time leading to an excessive screen time 

Senior citizens in many Indian households, once resistant to digital habits, are now spending some of the longest hours in front of screens. With abundant free time, shrinking social circles, and easy access to entertainment and essential services, older adults are increasingly shifting toward compulsive smartphone use—a pattern once associated mainly with the youth.

The need to fill quiet, lonely hours has, for many, turned into a form of digital dependence. Loneliness plays a central role. With groceries, medicines, and services available at the tap of a screen, many seniors feel little need to step outside. Across the country, retired parents often live alone or with minimal family interaction, as adult children migrate for work or settle abroad. Smartphones have become their primary gateway to communication and comfort. WhatsApp groups, devotional videos, and endless OTT content fill their long empty hours—sometimes excessively.

Experts say this combination of free time and emotionally charged content makes seniors especially vulnerable to what psychologists describe as “Popcorn Brain Syndrome.” Once linked largely to teenagers, this overstimulated and restless mental state caused by constant digital input is now being increasingly observed among older adults.

Families across the city are beginning to notice these changes.

Rajesh Dorepally, a 48-year-old employee from Yousufguda, says he is worried about his 73-year-old mother’s rising anxiety. “Ever since she started using her smartphone more, she has become far more anxious. YouTube videos and WhatsApp forwards trouble her because much of the content is about health dangers or alarming warnings. She reads everything and gets overwhelmed. Her curiosity keeps her scrolling, especially through YouTube shorts late into the night. It keeps her occupied, but the mental health risks are concerning,” he said.

For others, smartphones have replaced routines that city life has slowly erased.

Prasad, a 76-year-old retired real estate worker from Kukatpally, says the phone takes up most of his day, leaving little time for physical activity. “Living alone in an apartment leaves me with no other choice. Most things are now on the phone. Sometimes I ask neighbour kids to order groceries for me. Scrolling and learning new things online has become a habit. Gardening or evening walks are not possible in apartment life,” he said.

Madhavi, a 50-year-old working woman, said her 72-year-old mother enjoys spending time on her phone. “She watches devotional videos while doing chores, and it lifts her mood, especially when she feels lonely. But constant screen use is making her insomniac. Older people sleep fewer hours, and even those are being affected,” she said.