Reduce phone usage time: Golden secret to improve mental health

Earlier this February, researchers found that cutting back on smartphone time spent accessing the internet can help people feel happier and more focused.

What's remarkable is that even if they still used other electronic devices, simply limiting their time online on their phones had a markedly positive impact on their mental health.

Associate Professor of Psychology Kostadin Kushlev of Georgetown University (USA) shared that: "Using a phone can lead to small impacts, sometimes difficult to recognize immediately, but over time, they can accumulate and negatively affect mental health."

Statistics show that the average American spends nearly 5 hours a day using their smartphone.

However, when researchers asked a group of participants to stop accessing the Internet on their phones, many found it difficult to do so. However, those who complied experienced significant improvements in their mental health and ability to concentrate compared to those who continued to use their phones as usual.

Research design and implementation

The study, published in February, recruited 467 participants between the ages of 18 and 74. Of those, 260 installed a special app on their phones that blocked all internet access for two weeks, but they could still access the internet using other devices such as tablets or laptops.

The trial lasted 1 month, divided into two phases:

First group: Internet blocked on phone for the first 2 weeks.

Group 2: Act as a control group, then move into an Internet blocking phase for the following 2 weeks.

Psychologist Adrian Ward from the University of Texas (USA) shared: "We do not block text messages or phone calls, so people can still contact their family and friends anytime, anywhere."

Although the test was designed to not completely disrupt communication, many people still had difficulty giving up the habit of surfing the web on their phones.

Of the participants, only 119 turned on the Internet blocking feature for at least 10 days, reducing phone usage time from 314 minutes/day to 161 minutes/day.

The clear benefits of cutting down on phone time on mental health and concentration

People who completed the trial of reducing their phone use reported significant benefits, including:

- Improve happiness and mental health.

- Increases the ability to concentrate continuously, with an effect equivalent to erasing 10 years of age-related cognitive decline.

- Reduces symptoms of depression, with greater effectiveness than the average effect of antidepressants.

One of the key findings was that these positive effects persisted even after participants returned to using the Internet on their phones.

For those who were blocked from the internet for the first 2 weeks, their mental health and happiness levels remained significantly higher even after 4 weeks.

Researchers suggest this could be due to a number of positive factors arising from reduced mobile internet use, including:

- Increase offline activity time, giving them more real-world experiences.

- Reduce dependence on social media and negative online content.

- Improve sleep quality due to less exposure to blue light at night.

- Increases real-life social connections, which helps improve morale and feelings of self-reliance.

Even people who didn't completely stop using the Internet on their phones said they noticed some benefits in the areas the study measured.

Any reduction in phone time is beneficial.

The findings from this study further reinforce the results of previous studies, which have shown a link between smartphone use and depression and anxiety.

"Our research shows that, no matter how much you cut back, any reduction in mobile internet use is beneficial for mental health and concentration," researcher Adrian Ward stressed.

So if you want to improve your mental health and focus, try limiting your time online on your phone, even if you continue to use other devices. Even small changes can make a big positive impact.