"Brain stacking" is a trend on TikTok and Instagram Reels in which creators keep a stack of books, Sudoku, crosswords and journals within reach and show it off in morning or bedtime routines, as an alternative to doomscrolling, Mashable reports. One creator, @shykikii, credits @mandyrulez with seemingly coining the term.

Mashable links it to last year's "analog bag" trend and a wider 2026 turn toward film cameras, knitting and other "grandma hobbies," amid worry about attention spans. It also points out the irony of learning about a screen-free hobby on TikTok.