It turns out you don’t need to throw your phone into the ocean to regain control over your screen time—just give it a three-day break. A new study suggests that a 72-hour phone detox can actually reshape your brain, reducing the addictive pull of your device.

Researchers in Germany asked young adults to limit their phone use to only essentials (work and actual conversations—no doomscrolling). After just three days, MRI scans showed reduced activity in the brain’s reward system when participants saw images of smartphones—meaning their brains were literally less addicted to their screens. One area, the ventral striatum (which plays a key role in cravings), became less reactive to phone-related stimuli, similar to what’s seen in people breaking substance addictions.

While participants didn’t report major mood shifts, many said they felt better overall. And considering that endless notifications, comparison traps and blue-light-induced sleepless nights aren’t exactly soul-nourishing, that tracks.

So if your screen time report has been personally attacking you (the study found people averaged 2.5 hours of daily phone use before the detox), maybe a weekend unplugged is worth a shot. Take a break, touch some grass and see if your brain thanks you for it.

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Title: Want to Break Your Phone Addiction? Science Says You Can Do It In 3 Days
URL: https://relevantmagazine.com/culture/tech-gaming/want-to-break-your-phone-addiction-science-says-you-can-do-it-in-3-days/
Source: REL ::: RELEVANT
Source URL: http://www.relevantmagazine.com/rss/relevantmagazine.xml
Date: March 7, 2025 at 10:29PM
Feedly Board(s): Religion