It might seem like Google is our best friend in the world with answers to almost all our questions, but the internet – it’s not our brain’s ally. In fact, recent research suggests that overusing the internet negatively impacts cognitive function, particularly in areas like attention and memory. Not just that, studies suggest a correlation between prolonged internet use and increased anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances. Moreover, the constant availability of information online can lead to a reliance on external resources, potentially reducing the need to memorize information and affecting memory skills.
Now, research has revealed that switching off the internet for 2 weeks can make your brain 10 years younger!
What does the study say?
Researchers studied what happened when people stopped using the internet on their smartphones for just two weeks.
The study involved 467 people, ages 18 to 74, and aimed to see how constant internet access affects us. Today, over 90% of Americans own a smartphone, and having the internet available all the time is a recent change.
To track participants' well-being, the researchers measured mood and attention at the beginning, middle, and end of the study. While 91% improved in at least one area, 71% reported better mental health, and 73% felt more positive overall after their break.
Participants answered a survey often used to check for depression and anxiety. It included questions like, "How often have you felt little interest in things you usually enjoy?"
The results showed a clear improvement in mood.
What are the findings?
Researchers found that 91% of participants felt better after this break.
Adrian F Ward, a psychologist at the University of Texas at Austin, one of the authors of the study, shared that participants showed improved mental health, well-being, and attention after disconnecting.
One surprising finding of the study was that the drop in depression symptoms was similar to or even better than what is seen with antidepressant medications.
Noah Castelo, the lead author from the University of Alberta in Canada, noted, "The size of these effects is larger than we anticipated."
The silver lining:
The researchers did not suggest that less internet time could replace medications or therapy, which are important for some people. The break also improved participants' attention spans. They completed a task where they tracked images of mountains and cities.
Previous studies showed that attention usually declines with age, but surprisingly, after the internet break, there was a significant boost in scores.
Castelo said, "The effects on attention were about as large as if participants had become 10 years younger."
Although it is uncertain how long these benefits will last, this study supports previous research showing that reduced screen time can be beneficial.
Castelo mentioned, "It's one of the first experiments providing causal evidence that less time on your phone has significant benefits."
During the two weeks, participants were allowed to use laptops and iPads, and talk or text on their phones. Researchers weren't sure if people would just switch to other screen time. However, they discovered that breaking the scrolling habit led to positive changes in how participants used their time. The longer participants stayed off their phones, the more benefits they reported, creating a positive cycle.
Ward explained, "It's not that you stop using the internet and magically feel better." Instead, people spent more time doing healthy activities. They reported being outdoors more, socializing more, engaging in hobbies, getting better sleep, and feeling more connected to others.
Benefits of staying off the internet:
Turning off the internet allows you to step away from the constant barrage of online information to give your mind a chance to rest and reset. It's like unwinding after a hard day's work. Once your brain is “recharged,” your concentration, decision-making, and creative thinking can improve. Below are some benefits of staying ‘disconnected’ for a while.
Improved attention span: As the study showed, participants who blocked mobile internet access showed noticeable improvements in their ability to focus and concentrate on tasks. This improvement in sustained attention was equivalent to a 10-year age reduction in cognitive function.
Enhanced mental well-being : A significant percentage of participants of the study reported feeling better mentally after the two-week break, with improvements exceeding the effects of some antidepressant medications.
Increased engagement in offline activities: Participants of the study reported spending more time on meaningful activities like social interaction, hobbies, and exercise, which are known to boost mental health.
Reduced screen time: The study also revealed a significant reduction in screen time during the two-week internet-free period.
Digital anxiety: Participants with high levels of "fear of missing out" (FOMO) experienced the most significant improvements in their mental well-being, suggesting that constant online engagement may exacerbate anxiety.
Video
Now, research has revealed that switching off the internet for 2 weeks can make your brain 10 years younger!
What does the study say?
Researchers studied what happened when people stopped using the internet on their smartphones for just two weeks.
The study involved 467 people, ages 18 to 74, and aimed to see how constant internet access affects us. Today, over 90% of Americans own a smartphone, and having the internet available all the time is a recent change.
To track participants' well-being, the researchers measured mood and attention at the beginning, middle, and end of the study. While 91% improved in at least one area, 71% reported better mental health, and 73% felt more positive overall after their break.
Participants answered a survey often used to check for depression and anxiety. It included questions like, "How often have you felt little interest in things you usually enjoy?"
The results showed a clear improvement in mood.
What are the findings?
Researchers found that 91% of participants felt better after this break.
Adrian F Ward, a psychologist at the University of Texas at Austin, one of the authors of the study, shared that participants showed improved mental health, well-being, and attention after disconnecting.
One surprising finding of the study was that the drop in depression symptoms was similar to or even better than what is seen with antidepressant medications.
Noah Castelo, the lead author from the University of Alberta in Canada, noted, "The size of these effects is larger than we anticipated."
The silver lining:
The researchers did not suggest that less internet time could replace medications or therapy, which are important for some people. The break also improved participants' attention spans. They completed a task where they tracked images of mountains and cities.
Previous studies showed that attention usually declines with age, but surprisingly, after the internet break, there was a significant boost in scores.
Castelo said, "The effects on attention were about as large as if participants had become 10 years younger."
Although it is uncertain how long these benefits will last, this study supports previous research showing that reduced screen time can be beneficial.
Castelo mentioned, "It's one of the first experiments providing causal evidence that less time on your phone has significant benefits."
During the two weeks, participants were allowed to use laptops and iPads, and talk or text on their phones. Researchers weren't sure if people would just switch to other screen time. However, they discovered that breaking the scrolling habit led to positive changes in how participants used their time. The longer participants stayed off their phones, the more benefits they reported, creating a positive cycle.
Ward explained, "It's not that you stop using the internet and magically feel better." Instead, people spent more time doing healthy activities. They reported being outdoors more, socializing more, engaging in hobbies, getting better sleep, and feeling more connected to others.
Benefits of staying off the internet:
Turning off the internet allows you to step away from the constant barrage of online information to give your mind a chance to rest and reset. It's like unwinding after a hard day's work. Once your brain is “recharged,” your concentration, decision-making, and creative thinking can improve. Below are some benefits of staying ‘disconnected’ for a while.
Improved attention span: As the study showed, participants who blocked mobile internet access showed noticeable improvements in their ability to focus and concentrate on tasks. This improvement in sustained attention was equivalent to a 10-year age reduction in cognitive function.
Enhanced mental well-being : A significant percentage of participants of the study reported feeling better mentally after the two-week break, with improvements exceeding the effects of some antidepressant medications.
Increased engagement in offline activities: Participants of the study reported spending more time on meaningful activities like social interaction, hobbies, and exercise, which are known to boost mental health.
Reduced screen time: The study also revealed a significant reduction in screen time during the two-week internet-free period.
Digital anxiety: Participants with high levels of "fear of missing out" (FOMO) experienced the most significant improvements in their mental well-being, suggesting that constant online engagement may exacerbate anxiety.
Video
You may also like
Shooting World Cup: Paris medallist Swapnil, Asian Games champion Palak, back in Indian squad for Munich leg
Trump Jr arrives in Seoul to meet biz leaders amid tariff concerns
Leeds crossbow attacker dies in hospital 'of self-inflicted wound' as police release his name
Ghulam Nabi Azad criticises Congress over PM Modi's 'headless' poster
Olympic boxing champion explains decision to stand for Nigel Farage's Reform UK
