#1270 - Block the Internet, Boost Your Brain: The Research Parents Need to Know

Dr Justin Coulson's Happy Families

What happens when you strip your smartphone of its “smart”?
In this Doctor’s Desk deep dive, Justin and Kylie unpack a groundbreaking new study showing what really happens when people block mobile internet on their smartphones. The results? Better focus. Improved wellbeing. Healthier screen habits. Drawing on the science, personal experience, and insights from Jonathan Haidt and game designers themselves, this episode offers a wake-up call—and a way forward—for families navigating digital overload.

KEY POINTS

• First-of-its-kind research:
  A randomised controlled trial published in PNAS Nexus found that blocking mobile internet improved sustained attention, mental health, and subjective wellbeing.
• 91% improved:
  Nearly all participants in the study saw measurable gains by turning off mobile internet for just two weeks.
• How behaviour changes:
  People spent more time socialising, exercising, and being in nature—activities that are strongly linked to happiness and resilience.
• Jonathan Haidt’s insight:
  The greatest harm of screens isn’t just anxiety—it’s the destruction of attention and the erosion of childhood development.
• Addiction by design:
  Game developers and social media engineers want you and your kids to be addicted. Their business depends on it.
• Not all screen time is equal:
  Watching a movie with someone? Often fine. Scrolling alone on a touchscreen? Psychologically harmful.

QUOTE OF THE EPISODE

“We are prisoners to our devices—and the smartest people on earth designed it that way.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Study: Blocking Mobile Internet on Smartphones Improves Sustained Attention, Mental Health, and Subjective Wellbeing (PNAS Nexus)
• The Anxious Generation – Jonathan Haidt
• The Parenting Revolution – Dr Justin Coulson
• happyfamilies.com.au
• The Light Phone 3 (Justin’s personal attempt at going “dumb”)

ACTION STEPS FOR PARENTS

1. Block Internet Access on Phones
   Use settings or third-party tools to disable mobile internet on smartphones, especially for kids.
2. Switch to “Dumb Mode”
   Calls and texts only. Move social and entertainment use to desktop computers to limit impulsive use.
3. Model Change Yourself
   Consider your own phone use. Try a one-week mobile internet detox and note how your mind and mood change.
4. Prioritise Real-World Activity
   Encourage (and plan for) more time in nature, exercise, and in-person connection.
5. Educate & Equip
   Talk to your kids about how screens are designed. Teach them to spot manipulation—and reclaim their attention.

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