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Key Takeaways
More than 6 billion people worldwide usesmartphones, and that number is expected to climb each year.We use our cell phones for literally everything—from simple phone calls and texting to booking reservations and driving directions.
People spend an average of five to six hours each day on their smartphones, not including work-related use.While they are useful, excessive cell phone use can have a detrimental impact on mental health. It has been linked to impaired cognitive function, impulsivity, sleep problems, and addiction to social networking in teens.
Despite those dangers, a new study, published inJournal of Experimental Psychology: Applied,found that it only takes a minor tweak in smartphone usage to make a noticeable difference in your mental health.
“Per the study, conscious and controlled changes of daily time spent on smartphone use can contribute to subjective well-being—fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms, less problematic use tendencies, more life satisfaction—and to a healthier lifestyle, [including] more physical activity, [and] less smoking behavior, in the longer term,” statesYalda Safai, MD, MPH, a psychiatrist in New York.
How Your Cell Phone Might Affect Your Brain
Don’t Ditch Your Phone, But Limit Use
Yalda Safai, MDPer the study, conscious and controlled changes of daily time spent on smartphone use can contribute to subjective well-being—fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms, less problematic use tendencies, more life satisfaction
Yalda Safai, MD
Per the study, conscious and controlled changes of daily time spent on smartphone use can contribute to subjective well-being—fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms, less problematic use tendencies, more life satisfaction
Participants answered questions about their lifestyle habits after one month, and again after four months. The purpose was to see if the changes in smartphone usage resulted in changes in their behavior or mental health. Researchers asked questions about the individuals’ physical activity, cigarette smoking, and signs of depression or anxiety.
The results showed that people don’t need to give up their cellphone usage entirely for better mental health; but limiting usage does help.
Surprisingly, Smartphone Use May Help Improve Memory
The study findings also zeroed in on the prime amount of time to use your smartphone to improve mental health issues.
“These results are significant because they suggest there is a ‘sweet spot’ for smartphone use; with total abstinence and continued problematic smartphone use to be less healthy than just a one-hour reduction per day, for one week, which was sustained over time,” Dr. Katzenstein notes.
Knowing a little less time on the small screens can make a significant difference in your mental health is helpful but knowing how to implement that reduction is key.
Nomophobia: The Fear of Being Without Your Phone
Making Your Smartphone Work for You
The need for smartphone usage varies from person to person. However, exercising self-control is something everyone can do to make a difference for theirmental health.
“Monitoring your usage and being mindful of usage can have significant impact,” Dr. Katzenstein states. “Putting yourself on a ‘social media diet’ or a ‘smartphone diet’ can help reduce overall smartphone usage, even if you just try to do it for one week.”
Jennifer Katzenstein, PhDPutting yourself on a ‘social media diet’ or a ‘smartphone diet’ can help reduce overall smartphone usage, even if you just try to do it for one week.
Jennifer Katzenstein, PhD
Putting yourself on a ‘social media diet’ or a ‘smartphone diet’ can help reduce overall smartphone usage, even if you just try to do it for one week.
Experts also recommend being mindful of how you feel when you are using your smartphone. Cut back if being on your smartphone makes you feel stressed, hurried, or anxious.
If you’re concerned about missing your device in hand, or your hourly social media fix, you can replace cell phone surfing with other activities. Reading, exercising, time with family and friends, and other activities you enjoy can decrease the urge to peruse your phone apps.
“A small change in our behavior can result in a big impact to our overall mental health and how positively we feel about our lives, as well as the health behaviors we engage in,” Dr. Katzenstein concludes.
What This Means For YouExcessive cell phone usage can wreak havoc on your mental health. For most people, completely stopping cell phone usage isn’t a realistic option. The good news is, however, that according to this study, you don’t have to stop. Small changes in your smartphone usage habits can make a big difference in how you feel mentally and emotionally.
What This Means For You
Excessive cell phone usage can wreak havoc on your mental health. For most people, completely stopping cell phone usage isn’t a realistic option. The good news is, however, that according to this study, you don’t have to stop. Small changes in your smartphone usage habits can make a big difference in how you feel mentally and emotionally.
A Small Reduction in Smartphone Use Can Make a Big Difference for Mental Health
4 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Statista.Number of smartphone subscriptions worldwide from 2016 to 2027.Statista.How much time on average do you spend on your phone on a daily basis?Wacks Y, Weinstein AM.Excessive smartphone use is associated with health problems in adolescents and young adults.Front Psychiatry. 2021;12:669042. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.669042Brailovskaia J, Delveaux J, John J, et al.Finding the “sweet spot” of smartphone use: Reduction or abstinence to increase well-being and healthy lifestyle?! An experimental intervention study.J Exp Psychol Appl.2022. doi:10.1037/xap0000430
4 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Statista.Number of smartphone subscriptions worldwide from 2016 to 2027.Statista.How much time on average do you spend on your phone on a daily basis?Wacks Y, Weinstein AM.Excessive smartphone use is associated with health problems in adolescents and young adults.Front Psychiatry. 2021;12:669042. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.669042Brailovskaia J, Delveaux J, John J, et al.Finding the “sweet spot” of smartphone use: Reduction or abstinence to increase well-being and healthy lifestyle?! An experimental intervention study.J Exp Psychol Appl.2022. doi:10.1037/xap0000430
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Statista.Number of smartphone subscriptions worldwide from 2016 to 2027.Statista.How much time on average do you spend on your phone on a daily basis?Wacks Y, Weinstein AM.Excessive smartphone use is associated with health problems in adolescents and young adults.Front Psychiatry. 2021;12:669042. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.669042Brailovskaia J, Delveaux J, John J, et al.Finding the “sweet spot” of smartphone use: Reduction or abstinence to increase well-being and healthy lifestyle?! An experimental intervention study.J Exp Psychol Appl.2022. doi:10.1037/xap0000430
Statista.Number of smartphone subscriptions worldwide from 2016 to 2027.
Statista.How much time on average do you spend on your phone on a daily basis?
Wacks Y, Weinstein AM.Excessive smartphone use is associated with health problems in adolescents and young adults.Front Psychiatry. 2021;12:669042. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.669042
Brailovskaia J, Delveaux J, John J, et al.Finding the “sweet spot” of smartphone use: Reduction or abstinence to increase well-being and healthy lifestyle?! An experimental intervention study.J Exp Psychol Appl.2022. doi:10.1037/xap0000430
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