How does 'smartphone detox' affect brain activity?

Have you ever thought about giving up your smartphone for three days? It may sound unbelievable in this digital age, but a new study shows that just 72 hours of being away from your smartphone can have surprising effects on your brain.

According to research, a short period of time away from the phone helps the brain re-establish balance, significantly improving the ability to concentrate, regulate emotions and enhance awareness.

Notably, stopping phone use for 3 days directly affected brain regions related to the neural regions responsible for processing feelings of satisfaction, motivation, and craving (reward regions), similar to what happens in addiction treatment.

These results highlight the huge potential of cutting back on smartphone use, not only to “detox” the mind, but also to contribute to long-term mental health.

In a world where our phones are always within reach, from the moment we wake up until the moment we go to bed, taking a conscious break from connection may be the key to regaining the balance we've lost.

How is the research done?

A study published in the journal Science "Computers in Human Behavior" (Netherlands), which publishes interdisciplinary research on the impact of computer technology, the Internet and digital devices on human behavior, psychology and society, has discovered that reducing smartphone use affects chemical activity in the brain.

The study recruited 25 participants, aged 18 to 30, who were carefully screened for smartphone usage, mental health status, and gaming habits before entering the experiment.

During this period, participants are only allowed to use their phones for truly essential purposes, such as handling urgent work, performing daily activities that cannot be postponed, or communicating with family and loved ones.

Before starting the 72-hour “phone break,” volunteers completed a series of questionnaires that assessed their mood, phone dependence, and the intensity of their device cravings.

During the experiment, after limiting phone use, the researchers scanned the participants' brains using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure neural responses to various stimuli, including neutral images and images of smartphones either on or off.

The results were striking, with fMRI scans showing dramatic changes in activity in brain regions associated with dopamine and serotonin, two neurotransmitters that play a key role in controlling mood, emotions, and addictive behavior.

These changes suggest that cutting back on smartphone use not only causes discomfort, but also triggers responses similar to those seen in drug withdrawal symptoms or intense food cravings.

It is worth noting that this phenomenon occurs not only in people who use their phones with high frequency, but also in people with average phone usage.

The findings highlight the profound extent to which smartphone use affects brain function, even when usage levels are not considered excessive.

Impact of useExcessive smartphone use for brain health

The concept of “smartphone addiction” has attracted considerable attention in modern psychological research, although there is still much debate about whether the term oversimplifies the complex emotional, mental, and social factors that contribute to device overuse.

However, experts agree that excessive phone use has clear negative effects on both physical and mental health.

Scientists increasingly view excessive smartphone use as a true form of addiction, as the neurological signs and behavioral manifestations they observe bear many similarities to those of substance addiction disorders.

Withdrawal symptoms, changes in brain regions involved in reward systems and cravings, all suggest that smartphones may trigger deep neural mechanisms that go beyond typical usage behavior.

The findings also highlight that simply cutting back on phone use for a few days can produce significant changes in brain function.

As technology becomes increasingly embedded in everyday life, understanding the impact of phones on neurological function is not only of academic value, but also plays an essential role in building healthier digital lifestyles that protect long-term mental health.