The benefits of waking up without your phone
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios
Delaying the morning phone scroll — even by just a few minutes — could do wonders for your brain.
The big picture: We know staring at a screen all day isn't healthy. But even if a full digital detox isn't realistic, an offline morning can still go a long way.
Zoom out: Blocking smartphone access for two weeks — or even three days — is linked to more dopamine and serotonin and improved well-being, studies show.
- And limiting phone usage to two hours a day had similar effects.
- But even doing something else in the morning before looking at your phone can be hugely helpful, behavioral scientist Zelana Montminy, the author of the new book "Finding Focus," tells Axios.
Zoom in: "Your brain sort of wakes up like wet cement," says Montminy. The first "imprint" you make matters, she says.
- Instead of checking messages, she suggests checking in with yourself: Are you well-rested? Can you remember your dreams? Even better: Can you step outside, breathe and soak up some sunlight?
- Try to stay in a "relaxed, open mind frame for as long as possible," Montminy tells Axios.
The intrigue: Developing a screen-free wake-up takes practice, especially because humans are wired to run on autopilot.
Start small — two minutes, then longer, Montminy says — "and you will see, unequivocally, that your day will be so different in the best of ways."
And if willpower isn't enough:
- Products like Brick and Unpluq block distracting apps.
- Apps like Jomo, Forest and Touch Grass encourage intentional phone usage and reduce screen time.
- Even customizable lockboxes can enforce limits.
💭 Carly's thought bubble: What works best in my household is creating screen time limits in the phone settings, with a passcode someone else controls — or hiding the phone altogether.
