While many want to reduce the time spent using it, the mobile phone can be a valuable tool for preserving people's health. Smartphones are the great protagonists of our time, and they could improve people's daily lives, but they must be used in the right way. Technology can provide a fundamental hel…
While many want to reduce the time spent using it, the mobile phone can be a valuable tool for preserving people's health. Smartphones are the great protagonists of our time, and they could improve people's daily lives, but they must be used in the right way. Technology can provide a fundamental help in performing even the simplest daily tasks, but 'it can also worsen the mood, even in healthy people, depending on how it is used', explained Jon Elhai, Distinguished University Professor at the University of Toledo, in Ohio, where he studies digital psychology, to The Washington Post. According to a YouGov survey in 2025, most adults under 45 years old said they wanted to spend less time in front of screens. In addition, many popular apps, such as TikTok, are designed to capture our attention for longer than we would like. And much of that time, in the end, may not be so pleasant. To create healthier habits using a smartphone, 'you need to know yourself', said Joseph Bayer, associate professor at the School of Communication at Ohio State University, where he studies smartphone and social media habits, 'you need to know what your goals are as a person and what your goals are when you use the phone'. Because not always do the two things match. There are also many ways to reduce the time spent using a smartphone, but without the need to implement drastic measures, it is possible to change the way it is used. The Washington Post has therefore compiled a list of 'healthy' uses of the smartphone that could benefit the user's health, primarily mental, regardless of screen time: 1. Playing an online game Cognitive involvement is good for the brain and some fast-paced action video games, such as Call of Duty or Fortnite, have shown to improve cognitive abilities. Even crossword puzzles and board games have been associated with the same cognitive benefits. All of this can be done through a smartphone, which in some cases allows playing turn-based games, allowing you to make a move at any time, without necessarily being glued to the screen. 2. Reading e-Books or online newspapers Relaxing with a good book, magazine or newspaper is good for the brain and has been associated with greater longevity and slower decline of cognitive abilities. On smartphones there are numerous apps, including free ones, that allow access to e-Books, digital books, audiobooks or magazines and newspapers. 3. Finding an online community dedicated to your favorite hobby Smartphones can provide all possible information about one's hobbies and put in touch people who cultivate the same through real online communities. Scientific research has shown that hobbies are associated with better mental health and that dedicating oneself to creative activities, including music, dance and art, is linked to a slowdown of brain aging. Therefore, it is important to find an online community associated with one's interests. 4. Trying a mindfulness app Research has shown that mindfulness exercises, a form of meditation, can be as effective as medication in reducing anxiety and stress symptoms.
This can also happen in short meditation sessions, which can help people reach a state of 'relaxed vigilance'. And every smartphone offers the possibility of finding apps dedicated to this inside its own store. The exercises can also lead to a more conscious use of the phone. People who are most aware of how they use their smartphone and when it's time to put it aside are more protected from problematic use 'than people who simply scroll through the screen without thinking, instead of doing it in a conscious way', Elhai explained. 5. Learning a new language Learning another language is a great way to stimulate the brain. Research has shown that speaking multiple languages is associated with a later diagnosis of dementia and that the brains of people who speak two or three languages appear about six years younger than those of people who speak only one. Smartphones allow you to take language lessons almost anywhere. 'It's not possible to spend all the time talking to someone in person in the language you are learning', Elhai explains, 'but if you have some time available on your phone, it can be useful'. 6. Writing down what we are grateful for Recognising the positive things in our life is good and research shows that greater gratitude is associated with lower levels of loneliness. Instead of scrolling through social media feeds, you can use 'apps designed to keep a diary and indicate every day what we are grateful for, trying to contribute to maintaining an optimistic attitude', Elhai suggested. But it's not even necessary to download a specific app: even the simple note-taking application already present on the phone can become a space to mark down thoughts, emotions and memories of our day. 7. Sending a message, calling someone or sharing a funny meme We tend to be happier when we are physically together with other people and research shows that almost any activity is more enjoyable if shared with friends. But socialising through the phone, via messages, social media or even an old-fashioned phone call, could be the closest thing to a face-to-face meeting. Connecting with others, which was the original purpose of phones, may be the most rewarding way to use a smartphone: 'When people use the phone for non-social activities, for example listening to music or watching films, in the short term it can be pleasant', Elhai says. 'But it's not as pleasant as using it to interact with other people'. Research also shows that people tend to underestimate how gratifying it can be to contact someone else, for both parties, even when there is no particular reason to do so. Using the phone can therefore become an opportunity to reconnect with someone or simply cultivate relationships and spend time together, albeit virtually.
