Khaberni - Researchers in a study published in PNAS Nexus confirmed that reducing social media browsing for just two weeks can enhance mental health and focus, thereby restoring some of the lost cognitive balance due to excessive digital use.
A recent study included more than 467 adults, with an average age of 32, who were asked to reduce their internet connection on phones for 14 days, keeping only calls and text messages. Researchers used the "Freedom" application to block the internet and apps requiring network connection, including social media and news applications.
Dr. Kostadin Kushlev, a professor of psychology at Georgetown University and one of the study's contributors, reported that reducing immersion in the digital world helps restore natural ability to focus and reduces mental distractions resulting from continuous phone use.
These results come in the context of an increasing number of studies linking excessive use of social media with higher rates of anxiety and depression, and declining academic performance, especially among young people, opening the door to wider discussion about the impact of "digital addiction" on mental health.
The experimental design relied on dividing the participants into two groups, each undergoing a two-week internet blocking period, with role swapping later, allowing for precise measurement of changes before, during, and after the experiment.
Results showed a clear decrease in average screen time, which reduced from over five hours per day to less than three hours. Participants also noted significant improvements in mental health indicators, including decreased symptoms of depression and anxiety, and increased levels of life satisfaction and positive feelings.
The tests the participants underwent on the cognitive performance side indicated that the ability to pay attention and concentrate improved significantly. Researchers described this improvement as equivalent to reversing a cognitive decline that could accumulate over 10 years of excessive digital device usage, approaching a younger cognitive performance level.
The results were not limited to the experimental period only, as improvements in mental health and attention continued even after the blocking period ended, with screen usage remaining lower than previous levels for many participants.
Additionally, the data showed that participants replaced phone usage time with more beneficial real-life activities, such as direct social interaction, exercising, reading, and spending more time in nature, along with a clear decrease in the consumption of digital and entertainment content.
According to the researchers, even participants who did not fully adhere to the disconnection period showed some benefits, suggesting that reducing continuous exposure to digital stimuli can positively reflect on mental health even when the commitment is partial.
