What Happens to Your Brain When You Block the Web?
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Quick Fix: If someone said they held the secret to better mental health, you’d be all ears, right? What if they told you the secret was using a flip phone again for two weeks? Still interested? A 2025 study basically did just that. Turning off the Wi-Fi and blocking web apps on participants’ phones for two weeks substantially improved their mental health, attention, and wellbeing.
The Study: In the randomized controlled study, 467 adults ages 18 to 74 were assigned either to a control group or to a group that installed the Freedom app to block Wi-Fi and mobile data access for two weeks. It also tracked how well they complied. After two weeks, both groups switched. They also performed a computer-based attention test, once at the beginning of the study and again at the end.
The Takeaway: More than 90% reported improvement in at least one area: mental health, wellbeing, or attention. About 70% of participants reported better mental health, and 73% reported improved wellbeing. After smartphone blocking, participants improved on the test equivalent to reversing 10 years of age-related cognitive decline.
Keep in Mind: Not all participants fully complied, though the findings are based on data from the entire cohort.
