Neuroscientist says there’s a right way (and a wrong way) to do TikTok’s ‘brainstacking’ trend

While it might sound like a serial killer’s more efficient way of storing bodies, TikTok’s new fascination, brainstacking, could actually be your solution to digital doom.

In 2026, the good, the bad, and the vile are regularly fed to us like we’re hungry little piggies. You can’t move on the internet without being confronted by abhorrent takes, depressing news, and men with microphones. Still, despite the overwhelming barrage of the worldwide web, many of us find ourselves glued to the screen for seconds, minutes, and then hours a day. We’re all painfully aware of the doomscrolling phenomenon at this point; most of us are living it.

Enter TikTok – I know, the irony is not lost on me – where some people have given a trendy new name to activities our parents and grandparents did before the double-edged sword invention of mobile phones.

What is brainstacking?

Coined on TikTok in 2026, brainstacking is an easy viral concept to grasp. It’s the act of “stacking” analogue activities to improve not only mental health, but also brain health.

Though no two brainstacks are alike, staples of the activity include Sudoku, word searches, journaling, reading non-fiction, colouring, and creative writing. Typically, your brainstack is, as the name suggests, a collection of these things you can physically stack on top of each other.

There are some pretty clear benefits

Over on the app we are trying to move away from, brainstacking has become a hot topic amongst certain lifestyle content creators. But rather than listen to people who prioritise the aesthetic of the trend with candles, trendy extortionate pens, and iced coffee creations, I spoke to an expert.

“Our brains have a remarkable ability to adapt through a process called neuroplasticity. Learning new skills, practising retrieval of information and engaging in challenging activities can help strengthen or reorganise neural connections,” award-winning neuroscientist Dr Elena Gross told The Tab.

“Researchers also study the concept of cognitive reserve, which describes the brain’s capacity to maintain cognitive functioning despite age-related changes or disease.”

Specifically, unlike scrolling on your phone, doing just one thing without distractions allows your brain to focus and zero in on the task.

“There’s also the question of sleep. Light is one of the strongest signals regulating our biological clock, and exposure to bright light in the evening, particularly light with a strong blue component, can delay melatonin secretion and make it harder to fall asleep,” she added.

“Replacing evening scrolling with reading a physical book or journaling may therefore offer two benefits: Fewer distractions and less exposure to bright screens before bedtime.”

But there are some warnings

Though the folks on TikTok would lead you to believe that brainstacking will fix life’s woes, and some even claim it prevents dementia, our bodies are simply more complicated than that. While such activities have shown promise in increasing cognitive reserve, dementia is not an illness born solely from the brain. Genetics, cardiovascular and metabolic health, lifestyle and ageing also play a part.

“Another misconception is that cognitive health can be separated from metabolic health,” Dr Elena Gross explained. “We often focus on stimulating the brain through puzzles, games and learning, while overlooking the biological foundations that allow our brain cells to function.”

You know, things like sleep and nutrition, she explained: “My own research focuses on brain energy metabolism. Neurons have exceptionally high energy requirements, and mitochondria, the structures responsible for producing much of the energy our cells use, are essential to maintaining neuronal communication.

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“Mitochondrial metabolism also depends on micronutrients and metabolic cofactors. This is one reason why I think it’s important to consider nutrition, metabolic health, physical activity and sleep alongside cognitive stimulation.”

Beyond health, there’s something else to consider. The goal of brainstacking is to chill you out, get you off your screen, and lock you into an analogue activity.

“We shouldn’t turn every moment of relaxation into another productivity exercise,” the neuroscientist added.

Okay, I’m ready: How do I start brainstacking?

Credit: Canva

The great thing about brainstacking is that you can adapt and change your stack to fit your needs. Personally, I hate Sudoku, but have come to love Murdoku.  

Dr Elena Gross told me: “I would favour activities that involve active learning, curiosity and different cognitive skills rather than simply keeping ourselves occupied.

“Reading, writing by hand, drawing, playing a musical instrument, learning a language and solving puzzles all engage different combinations of memory, attention, coordination and creativity.

“One particularly useful approach is to combine reading with writing. After finishing a chapter, close the book and try to explain what you’ve learned in your own words. This is called active recall, and research shows that retrieving information from memory can strengthen learning more effectively than simply rereading it.”

She also put forward the idea of combining several skills. For instance, learning an instrument involves “coordination, auditory processing, memory and sustained attention”, and drawing something from memory “encourages us to pay attention to details we might otherwise overlook.”

But the biggest reason to include something in your brainstack? Enjoyment- what’s the point if you’re not having fun? 

But take it slow 

One final thought, before you hop on Amazon to buy five Sudoku books, a 3D word search, and a guide for learning Italian.

“Instead of committing to reading for an hour every day, start with one page. Instead of journaling for 20 minutes, write a single sentence. Instead of practising a language for half an hour, learn one new word,” the expert noted.

She explained that, when we experience progress or a rewarding outcome, our brain releases dopamine that reinforces the behaviour. You’re more likely to do it again for that dopamine fix, so starting small can help cement the habit in your routine. 

Now it’s over to you with the incredibly hard first step: Put whatever you’re reading this on all the way down.

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Featured image credit: Canva