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Are you someone who cannot simply keep their phone down while waiting in a queue or being stuck in traffic? Did you know that momentarily taking a break from your smartphone can actually help slow down ageing?
If your answers to the questions are yes and no, then here is something that you need to know. Researchers from the US and Canada recently conducted a landmark study examining what happened when people blocked the internet from their smartphones for two weeks. According to the study, 91 per cent of the respondents felt better after the two-week break.
In 2025, we are in a hyper-connected world where mobile internet access has become integral to our existence. From work, education, shopping, and entertainment to socialising, smartphones have touched every aspect of our lives. They have not only changed the way we communicate but also how we go about our daily lives. However, this constant state of connectivity comes with a cost. The new study, ‘Blocking Mobile Internet on Smartphones Improves Sustained Attention, Mental Health, and Subjective Well-being,’ published in PNAS Nexus, states that blocking mobile internet access for a mere two weeks can significantly improve mental health and overall well-being.
“What we found was that people had better mental health, better subjective well-being, and better-sustained attention,” Adrian F Ward, one of the researchers and a psychologist at the University of Texas at Austin, told NPR.
As part of the study, the researchers conducted a randomised controlled trial (RCT) with 467 participants from the US and Canada. These participants were divided into two groups—Intervention Group (IG) and Control Group (CG) or Delayed Intervention Group. For the participants in IG, the team installed an app that blocked their mobile internet access (both WiFi and mobile data) for two weeks. However, they could still make phone calls, send and receive text messages, and access the internet via desktops and laptops.
On the other hand, the second group had unrestricted access to mobile internet for the first two weeks, after which they underwent the same restriction as the intervention group.
To ensure that the participants complied, the app tracked if they kept their mobile internet blocked for at least 10 out of 14 days. Later, the researchers collected the data via self-reported surveys and objective measures like a sustained attention task.
The researchers then measured three key outcomes—sustained attention, mental health, and subject well-being. To assess mental health outcomes, they used standardised tools for anxiety, depression, and emotional distress. According to the researchers, after two weeks, the participants who blocked mobile internet showed significant improvement in all three key areas.
One of the most significant findings has been the visible improvement in sustained attention span. The researchers said that the participants who restricted their mobile internet access performed better on sustained attention tasks, with cognitive improvements comparable to being 10 years younger with regard to focus and concentration. This indicates that being constantly distracted by smartphones could likely be impairing the brain’s ability to maintain attention to tasks over time.
Yes, staying away from your smartphone can reduce anxiety and depression. The research claims that blocking mobile internet access led to improvements in mental health, especially in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. Reportedly, the positive effects were far greater than the impact of some antidepressant treatments. According to the researchers, reducing screen time allowed participants to engage in activities that led to mental well-being.
Who would have thought taking a break from your smartphone could spell contentment? The researchers said participants who blocked mobile internet claimed that they felt happier and more satisfied with life. The participants also showed an improved mood over time, and they reported fewer negative feelings. The researchers attributed this to spending less time on social media and digital distractions, which usually leads to stress and comparison-induced anxiety.
As part of the study, the researchers identified several key lifestyle changes that led to the improvements. In the absence of mobile internet, the participants mostly spent their time engaging in face-to-face interactions, improving their social connectedness. There was a marked increase in physical activity, with participants using their free time to exercise, leading to better mental health.
The participants also spent more time outdoors basking in nature, another key factor that improved mood and well-being. They engaged in fewer passive activities like doom scrolling through social media or watching excessive short-form video content. Since the screen time declined dramatically, participants reported better sleep quality, positively impacting their mental health and cognitive functions.
The study is crucial as it sheds light on the hidden costs of mobile internet use. Smartphones come with significant advantages; however, they can also negatively impact the quality of our lives, especially our mental health and well-being. Even suspending mobile internet momentarily could help one experience better focus, improved mood, and a healthier lifestyle. All of this points to the need to balance staying connected online and maintaining the routine offline activities that we love.
The study was conducted by researchers Noah Castelo from the University of Alberta, Canada; Kostadin Kushlev from Georgetown University, USA; Adrian F Ward from the University of Texas at Austin, USA; Michael Esterman from the VA Boston Healthcare System and Boston University, USA; and Peter B. Reiner from the University of British Columbia, Canada.
