Apps that help you break free from doomscrolling and get active

Doomscrolling has become a vicious cycle for many of us, with the average person spending around 4 hours and 38 minutes on their phone every day, according to a report by Hootsuite, with 70% of that time spent on social media and messaging apps. If you’re looking to cut back on screen time and get a little more active, there are several apps that might help. Breaking free from the grasp of social media can be tough, but it’s essential for both our physical and mental health, as excessive screen time has been linked to a range of problems, including sleep deprivation, anxiety, and depression, with a study by the Royal Society for Public Health finding that social media use is associated with increased feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and depression. The concept of doomscrolling has been around for a while now, but it wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic that it became a widespread phenomenon, with people spending more time at home and reaching for their phones out of boredom, anxiety, or a desire for connection, and since then, the term has been used to describe the tendency to continuously scroll through bad news on social media, even though it’s having a negative impact on our mental health. What to Expect from These Apps The apps that can help you break free from doomscrolling and get active are varied, but they all share a common goal: to help you stay focused on your goals and avoid mindless scrolling, with apps like Freedom and SelfControl blocking social media and other distracting websites, while apps like Habitica and Forest gamify productivity and provide rewards for staying on track, and since these apps have been shown to be effective, with a study by the University of California finding that people who used productivity apps were more likely to achieve their goals. Taking Control of Your Screen Time There are also several apps that can help you track and control your screen time, such as Screen Time and Moment, which provide detailed reports on how much time you spend on your phone and which apps you use the most, with the average person checking their phone over 50 times per day, according to a report by Deloitte, and since these apps can help you identify areas where you can cut back, they can be a powerful tool in your quest to break free from doomscrolling. Getting Active with Fitness Apps Finally, there are several fitness apps that can help you get active and stay motivated, such as Nike Training Club and JEFIT, which provide workouts and training plans tailored to your fitness level and goals, with a study by the National Institute of Health finding that people who used fitness apps were more likely to stick to their workout routine, and since these apps can help you track your progress and see the results of your hard work, they can be a great way to stay motivated and focused on your fitness goals, with one clear takeaway being that by using these apps, you can break free from the cycle of doomscrolling and get active, and start seeing real improvements in your physical and mental health, as 75% of people who use fitness apps report an improvement in their overall well-being, according to a report by the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association.