Temporal dynamics of smartphone use reduction and its association with sleep quality, stress, and well-being

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Smartphone screen time has increased in recent years and is linked to poorer mental health. This study examined the temporal dynamics of smartphone screen time reduction and its association with sleep quality, stress, and well-being. Participants limited their daily smartphone screen time to ≤2 h for 3 weeks. At baseline and after each detox week, the quality of sleep (ISI), stress (PSQ-20), and well-being (WHO-5) were measured. Repeated measures ANOVAs showed significant improvements in sleep (MD = 2.07, η2 = .104), stress (MD = 2.01, η2 = .098), and well-being (MD = 7.60, η2 = .112; all p-values ≤ .001), with the strongest effects even after the first week. Reducing smartphone use is a low-threshold and self-determined way to reduce mental stress. Based on the results, a recommended usage time of less than 2 h can be proposed, while further studies are needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms of different types of usage.