Disabling internet on your smartphone may actually reverse brain aging

What if the key to sharper focus and a younger brain wasn’t a supplement or app—but turning off your mobile internet? A new study from the University of British Columbia suggests that ditching phone internet access, even temporarily, could roll back your brain’s cognitive clock by ten years, vastly improving brain health in the process.

The study followed 400 students and working-age adults who used a custom app to block internet access on their smartphones for two weeks. They could still make calls and send texts. However, apps, social media, and browsing were out of reach. What happened next surprised even the researchers.

After the two-week break, participants showed dramatic improvements in their sustained attention—the ability to concentrate on a single task. In fact, their attention levels matched those of people a full decade younger. The results highlight an overlooked but apparently powerful connection between our phones, the internet, and brain health.

Considering new research shows that our cognitive skills peak at much higher ages than originally believed, doing anything we can to improve the state of our brains will only benefit our lives.

The researchers believe this boost came from participants spending less time online and more time engaged in face-to-face interactions and outdoor environments. Nature and social connection provide a different kind of cognitive stimulation, one that allows the brain to recover from the relentless demands of screen time.

There were other benefits for the participant’s brain health, too. Many reported better sleep and longer, higher-quality rest. Anxiety levels dropped significantly, particularly among those who were heavy social media users prior to the study. While the first few days came with some digital withdrawal symptoms—like restlessness and phantom notifications—most participants reported feeling more mentally present by the end of the first week.

And these improvements weren’t fleeting. Follow-up assessments carried out months later showed that many people retained their increased focus and reduced anxiety. Even older participants saw gains, challenging the idea that aging brains are less flexible.