Turning Off Mobile Internet for Two Weeks May Reverse Brain Aging by 10 Years: Study
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - A new study has found that turning off mobile internet for two weeks can significantly enhance cognitive function, effectively reversing brain age by a decade.
Researchers at the University of British Columbia conducted a study on 400 participants, including students and working adults, who used an app to block internet access on their smartphones while still allowing calls and text messaging.
Participants completed surveys before and after the intervention to assess cognitive performance and mental well-being. Results showed that sustained attention—one's ability to focus—improved to levels comparable to someone 10 years younger.
Additionally, 90 percent of participants reported notable improvements in mental health, surpassing the effects typically expected from a two-week course of antidepressants. Many also experienced enhanced personal well-being and life satisfaction.
The researchers attributed these changes to shifts in behavior, as participants spent less time online and engaged more in in-person social interactions, exercise, and outdoor activities. Over the study period, screen time was nearly halved. In one group, daily smartphone use dropped from an average of five hours and 14 minutes to two hours and 41 minutes.
"Despite the many benefits mobile internet offers, reducing the constant connection to the digital world can have large positive effects," the research team stated. "Our results provide evidence that blocking mobile internet from smartphones for two weeks can produce significant improvements in well-being, mental health, and the ability to sustain attention."
Even those who did not fully comply with the intervention showed measurable improvements, though to a lesser extent. "These findings suggest that constant connection to the online world comes at a cost, since psychological functioning improves when this connection is reduced," the researchers added.
The study, published in the journal PNAS Nexus, recruited participants from the United States and Canada via an online portal. The average age was 32, with 63 percent identifying as female. Nearly 30 percent were students, and 42 percent were employed full-time.
Currently, about 90 percent of American adults own smartphones, spending an average of four hours and 35 minutes daily on them. Surveys suggest nearly half of Americans worry about excessive phone use, with young adults particularly concerned about the impact on real-world interactions and family relationships.
