Doomscrolling got you down? Tired of seeing misinformation on social media? Can’t put your phone down while you’re driving? Our cell phones have us more connected than ever, but being chronically online has its drawbacks.
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Stress and mental fatigue seem to be rampant these days, but it turns out that one simple thing can help boost your mental health — reducing your phone internet usage.
As part of a recent study, nearly 500 people aged 18 to 74 agreed to have all mobile internet access blocked from their phones for two weeks. Texts and calls were still available, as was an internet connection through a non-mobile device.
Is phone use negatively tied to mental health?
According to this study, research shows that smartphone use is negatively tied to mental health, but few large-scale experiments have been conducted. Ninety percent of American adults own a smartphone, and 50% of that group (80% under the age of 30) worry they’re using their phones too much.
This study put that to the test. At the end of the two weeks without mobile internet, 91% of people reported improved mental health (more than the effect of antidepressants), higher satisfaction with their lives, and a better attention span. Total screen time decreased significantly, dropping from more than 300 minutes a day to an average of 161 minutes a day.
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What changed? The digital intervention meant people spent their time doing other things, the study said, like socializing in person, exercising, and being in nature. The impact wasn’t immediate, though, as the positive effects increased each day as the study went on.
It isn’t easy for people to put their phones down
Naturally, it wasn’t easy. Only 119 people in the study went the full two weeks without turning their mobile internet back on. The study said, though, that partial compliance still showed benefits.
For most people, completely cutting off their phone’s mobile internet access isn’t viable. We need it for work, navigation, music and podcasts on the go, or just looking something up on the go. But what’s clear from this study is that a little digital detox is better than none.
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The next time you’re feeling overwhelmed, consider turning off your mobile internet connection.