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Whether it’s gaming, streaming videos, or scrolling through social media, many of us spend more time on our smartphones than we’d care to admit. In fact, research suggests that an alarming 25% of people worldwide have ‘smartphone addiction’.
With growing evidence of the potentially negative effects of phones on things like sleep, mental health, and social interactions, knowing we need to cut down can be an uncomfortable truth. Plus, thanks to smart technologies designed to keep us hooked, it can be easier said than done.
However, there’s reason to be encouraged. Research shows there are plenty of things that can help reduce your screen time.
Here, we’ll look closer at what the research says about smartphone use and its impact on wellbeing, as well as exploring ways to reduce your usage.
What is smartphone addiction?
Smartphone addiction refers to the excessive, compulsive, and uncontrolled use of a smartphone in a way that negatively impacts daily life.
Many of us can’t help but look at every notification we receive, feeling as though we have to respond instantly – either due to fear of missing out, letting others down, or notifications building up. According to experts, common signs of smartphone addiction include feeling anxious without your phone, isolation from loved ones, and reaching for your phone the moment you’re bored or alone.
But why are smartphones so addictive? Research shows it’s because they trigger the release of dopamine, a brain chemical linked with reward and pleasure. However, unlike other dopamine-fueled habits, like smoking, smartphone addiction can be more intense because they’re usually always with us.
Although using your computer can trigger dopamine release, you don’t carry it everywhere with you. And, even if you did, it’s not so quick and easy to take it out and check messages or social media. Smartphones are designed to give quick, easy, and accessible dopamine hits.
The impact of smartphone addiction – what does the research say?
There’s no doubt that technology has made our lives easier. From connecting with others to the plethora of information available at our fingertips, some things have never seemed so straightforward.
Yet, it begs the question why, despite these benefits, are we less happy than before? New research based on findings from six English-speaking countries suggests that young adults are significantly less happy than generations before them and experience more mental health issues. Among other things, researchers have noted a clear correlation between a decline in happiness and increased internet usage.
For example, this study, which found that British teenagers and preteens were the least happy in Europe, concluded that social media was the main reason. Meanwhile, another study found that three in four teenagers reported feeling happy and peaceful when they didn’t have their smartphones.
Naturally, many of these studies focus on younger people, who are typically the most affected by smartphone use. However, research suggests that the effects remain the same for all ages. We’ll explore some of the main areas of impact below.
Smartphone use may impact focus, and other cognitive abilities
Studies have linked frequent technology use with poor focus, disrupted sleep, social isolation, and impaired emotional and social intelligence.
The fact that most of us carry our devices with us everywhere may exacerbate these effects. Studies have found that, even when in your pocket, facedown, or on silent, the mere presence of a smartphone can negatively affect attention and cognitive function – also known as the ‘brain drain’ effect.
Smartphone use may harm social connections
While smartphones can help enhance communication across distances, there’s also evidence that they can negatively affect face-to-face interactions and relationships.
Even if you’re spending time with other people, being distracted by your phone (whether consciously or subconsciously) can significantly impact the quality of the interaction. For example, people may take time spent on your phone as a sign that you’re not interested in what they’re saying.
More generally, while being able to order food, shop, and bank online without needing to interact with others can be convenient, research shows that even casual interactions with strangers are beneficial for our wellbeing.
As a result, research has linked smartphone use with reduced conversation quality, decreased social skills, increased feelings of loneliness, and higher rates of depression and anxiety. In contrast, this study linked reduced smartphone use with better mental health.
Smartphone use may disrupt sleep
Smartphone use has been found to negatively impact sleep because it disrupts the body’s circadian rhythm (internal clock). Among other things, they emit blue light, which suppresses the production of the sleep hormone, melatonin.
According to experts, even sleeping beside your phone can cause fragmented sleep due to notifications, vibrations, and the instinct to check it.
Is time an important factor in determining the impact of smartphone use?
While there’s no denying that smartphone use can impact wellbeing, research suggests that timing is key in determining its impact.
For example, there’s evidence that online gaming can actually have benefits for wellbeing – including for stress relief, mood management, and better social connections.
However, gaming for several hours a day can become counterproductive, as you’re less likely to be engaging with other activities like exercising, spending time outside, and getting good quality sleep, which are important for health.
7 ways to reduce smartphone use
If you’ve been trying to reduce your smartphone use recently, you’re certainly not alone. Research shows that nearly a third of UK adults and almost 90% of young people report taking steps to try and cut down their screen time.
We’ll explore seven ways to reduce smartphone use below.
For further reading, you might also be interested in our article: Online gaming and social media addiction – and what we can do about it.
1. Put your phone in another room when sleeping
Studies suggest that more than seven in 10 of us sleep with our phones next to us, often mindlessly scrolling through social media before bed.
Sleeping with your phone in a different room and limiting screen time before bed can be beneficial. To help you succeed, why not make your bedroom a ‘phone-free zone’, invest in a traditional alarm clock, and establish a phone-free bedtime routine?
Check out our article: Doctor warns against keeping phones close at night – here’s why, to learn more.
2. Reorganise your home screen
Some people find that a clean, minimal home screen layout helps to limit how much they’re distracted by their phone.
You could consider keeping apps that you use productively on the first page, and move those that you want to reduce your usage of, such as social media and streaming services, to a secondary screen or into folders. Many people find this helps to reduce the temptation to open them out of habit.
3. Set screen time limits
Digital devices usually have their own solutions for addressing tech addiction and allow you to set screen time limits. Apple users can head to the Screen Time section in Settings, while Android users can use Google’s Digital Wellbeing app. Both options allow you to track your app usage, helping you identify which ones you’d benefit from limiting screen time on.
Apple devices have another useful feature called Focus Mode, which is essentially a more advanced version of Do Not Disturb (DND), allowing you to disable certain features at specific times. You can also use more specific focus modes and notification settings for sleep, work, and personal time. If you have an Android device, you can set up a schedule to make apps unavailable at certain times under Settings > Digital Wellbeing and Parental Controls.
Beyond your phone’s smartphone settings, many apps offer their own screen-time features. On Instagram and Facebook, for example, you can set limits on app usage and enable a ‘Quiet Mode’ where notifications and app functions are disabled at scheduled times. On TikTok, you can view your daily and weekly screen time, set break times, and manage sleep reminders in the ‘Screen Time’ section of Settings and Privacy.
There are third-party options, too, such as Freedom and StayFocused, which can be used to temporarily block apps and websites for scheduled periods. Plus, extensions can be used to manage platforms like YouTube and Facebook in more targeted ways. For example, Distraction Free YouTube removes recommended videos from sidebars that prevent you from getting sucked in. Similarly, News Feed Eradicator blurs Facebook posts for users who only want to use the app for things like groups and events.
Alternatively, Airplane mode is another quick and easy way to stop your phone from stealing your attention. However, it’s important to note that you won’t be able to make or receive emergency calls when using Airplane mode.
4. Adjust notification settings
If you spend too much time swiping away pointless notifications and alerts, reviewing your notification settings can be a quick and easy way to reduce the noise.
Simply go into the notification settings section of your device and turn off notifications for everything that you see as nonessential. You can also customise settings for individual apps, for example, selecting what type of social media notifications warrant a ping.
5. Use grayscale mode
Research shows that colourful icons play a big role in the addictive nature of phones, rewarding our brains every time we use them.
As a result, many people find using grayscale mode (a display setting that removes all colour from a device’s screen, showing only shades of grey) helps cut back their usage. In this study, grayscale mode reduced habitual phone checking and made apps like social media less tempting. Another study found that some games, which often rely on vibrant colours, became significantly less enjoyable in grayscale mode.
As a result, there’s evidence that grayscale mode can cut daily screen time by an average of 22 to 50 minutes by reducing the brain’s reward response. Grayscale mode has also been linked with other benefits, such as reduced eye strain by reducing glare.
6. Engage in offline hobbies
It’s common to find ourselves on our phones when we’re bored or feel as though we don’t have anything else to do. For this reason, engaging in offline hobbies and considering other, more productive ways to fill our time can be beneficial.
For example, why not start making your way through a book list? Join a local community group? Or engage in a new form of exercise? Head over to our hobbies and activities section for more inspiration.
Equally, experts say not to shy away from boredom – something which, in many ways, has become lost in today’s society. Among other things, boredom has been found to provide essential mental downtime that can boost creativity, improve problem-solving skills, and allow for self-reflection.
7. Schedule frequent digital detoxes
If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed by your smartphone recently, including by a build-up of notifications, you might like to consider having a digital detox and declutter.
Studies have linked scheduled time away from technology with benefits like better mental health, sleep quality, and reduced stress.
If you’re unable to pause usage completely, you might find Everyday Health’s guide to a digital detox without unplugging completely useful.
Final thoughts…
Research shows that smartphone addiction is a rising issue, with many of us building up more screen time than we’d care to admit. However, while reducing smartphone use can be tricky, the good news is that with the right approach and discipline, it’s entirely possible.
For further reading, head over to our general health section.
Do you have any experience with smartphone addiction? Or any other tips that you’d like to share? We’d be interested to hear from you in the comments below.
* Links with an * by them are affiliate links which help Rest Less stay free to use as they can result in a payment or benefit to us. You can read more on how we make money here.
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