According to Sveriges Radio Nyheter, a new American study found that concentration improves and well-being increases after a few weeks of reduced mobile phone surfing. A 2025 PNAS study, reported by HuffPost UK, found that blocking mobile internet for two weeks resulted in better subjective well-being, mental health, and sustained attention, equivalent to being 10 years younger. Participants had fewer depression and anxiety symptoms, an effect described as more than antidepressants by HuffPost UK, and subjective well-being increased significantly.
According to Sveriges Radio Nyheter, Torkel Klingberg, a professor at Karolinska Institutet, described mobile surfing as constantly distracting and preventing concentration-demanding activities. The study, detailed by HuffPost UK, involved 467 participants with an average age of 32 who used an app to turn their smartphones 'dumb' by removing internet access while keeping call and text capabilities. After 14 days, participants' screen time almost halved from 314 minutes to 161 minutes per day.
Mobile surfing constantly distracts and prevents concentration-demanding activities.
Research paper authors noted that even those who did not fully comply with the intervention experienced significant, though more modest, improvements. HuffPost UK reported that researchers suggested improvements might be due to mediators like time use, social connection, self-control, and sleep facilitated by reduced online time, but these did not fully explain sustained attention gains. Fully blocking mobile internet is not necessary for benefits; simply reducing mobile internet use may be sufficient, according to HuffPost UK.