Forget the new radical diet or arduous fitness regime – The key to being happier and healthier can be in the palm of your hand.
People spend an average of three to five hours on their smartphones Every day, with younger adults reporting closer use to six to seven o’clock. Research has shown that All this scrolling of misfortune And Instagram Envy makes us miserable.
The good news is that you don’t have to leave these sites to always feel better. In a new studyThe researchers asked 467 participants to install an application that blocked all their access to mobile Internet for two weeks and found that those who reported a significant boost mental healthFocus and well-being.
Participants, whose average age was 32 years, could always access the Internet on their computers at work, home or school – and they were able to return online to their phone once the experience is finished – But it seems that this small change has produced massive results.
Almost three -quarters of the participants (71%) reported better mental health, the average improvement in even greater depression symptoms than what has been observed in research on research antidepressants.
And with a duration of attention, the researchers noted that this decision seemed to reverse 10 years of cognitive decline linked to aging.
“Smartphones have radically changed our lives and behaviors in the past 15 years, but our fundamental human psychology remains the same,” said Adrian districtMarketing professor at the University of Texas McCombs University School and Main Study Author.
“Our big question was: are we adapted to deal with a constant link all the time? The data suggest that we are not. »»
Although the directions of the experience were simple, some people had trouble following.
Of the 467s who have committed to block mobile internet for two weeks, only 266 Configure the Freedom application And only 119 kept the active block for at least 10 of the 14 days.
Freeding allows users to block distracting websites, applications and even the whole Internet as long as they want.
It is on the App Store, Google Play or the Freedom Downloads page, with a monthly subscription available for $ 8.99.
There is also a free DIY option – smartphones users can activate parental commands, deactivate mobile data or completely stop WiFi access.
Ward’s results from the study came A large number of Americans Believe that they are addicted to their smartphones. In a 2022 Gallup survey58% of Americans admitted that they were too much on their phone. The figure was closer to 80% for those under the age of 30.
And yet a 2018 survey revealed that, when they were asked how long they could spend without their smartphone, only 17% of respondents said that they could last a full day, 31% believing that they could only do a few hours and 8 % admitting that they would crack after an hour or less.
Meanwhile, scientific studies support the reduction in the use of the phone. Research at the University of Pennsylvania find This limited use of social media just 30 minutes a day has led to significant declines in anxiety, depression and loneliness.
Another studyIn the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, linked heavy use of social media to a doubled risk of perceived social isolation.
Ward estimates that the results of his study, published Tuesday in the journal Pnas Nexus, Suggest that people would be happier if they spent a little more time IRL.
After all, its participants “increased the time spent in the offline world. It is to make hobbies, to speak to people opposite or go out in nature. They slept more, felt more socially connected and felt more in control of their own decisions. »»
Now does this sound inflate? Could be time to get a Flip phone.