It's no secret that smartphone use in the U.S. has exploded over the past decade - the vast majority of Americans own a smartphone. We all know how easily it can lead to increasing amounts of time spent texting family/friends, posting, scrolling through social media, or playing games - all of which cause the brain to release dopamine, a neurochemical that makes us feel pleasure. Over time, the brain can build up tolerance to dopamine so we tend to use our phones longer to feel the same amount of pleasure.
In addition to fueling an "addiction" to your phone, emerging research shows that more screen time is associated with higher levels of obesity, sleep problems, and mental health issues. Psychologists are treating an increasing number of people who are addicted to their devices. Experts say that cutting back on your phone use by just an hour a day can have significant health benefits.
Despite its name "Phone-Free February", this effort does not actually ask participants to be completely phone-free. Instead, the nonprofit campaign run under the Global Solidarity Foundation co-creator Jacob Warn said the goal is for people to reduce their overall smartphone usage simply "to get you to question what you need your phone for."
If you want to make an effort to be less tied to your phone, here are some helpful tips on how to reduce your screen time this month.
*Make Your Phone Boring - disable all push notifications for nonessential apps or delete them completely. You can also try changing your phone's color filter to grayscale, reduce motion on animations, and turn off auto-play for videos.
*Make Your Phone Boring - disable all push notifications for nonessential apps or delete them completely. You can also try changing your phone's color filter to grayscale, reduce motion on animations, and turn off auto-play for videos.
*Set Screen-Free Breaks - decrease exposure to blue light from your phone screen which is known to stimulate the production of cortisol, a stress hormone. Excess cortisol can increase stress/anxiety that makes us want to use our phones more. Start with a 15-minute screen break, then gradually increase break time until you can go extended periods of time without your phone.
*Plan Healthier Pleasurable Activities - stimulate dopamine replacement therapy by leaning into healthier screen-free and pleasurable activities to redirect focus from your phone - take a walk outside, read, or doodle. These activities will help occupy your time and calm your brain.
*Make Bedroom a Phone-Free Zone - smartphone use close to bedtime can be detrimental for sleep, so remove your phone from the room at least an hour before bed and use a regular alarm clock instead of relying on your phone.
*Practice Mindfulness - be more mindful about your phone use so that before you pick up your phone, decide what you will do and how long you plan to use it for. Don't multi-task.
*Reach Out to Family & Friends - let others know you plan to reduce your online availability so you don't fee pressured to respond right away. Reaching out for support in reducing phone use or enlisting a phone-free February buddy can increase your chances of success.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2025/01/29/phone-free-february-screentime-reduce/?
