Why sitting on the couch (without your phone) is good for you

A whole body of evidence supports the overwhelming benefits of holidays, meditation, time spent outdoors, and how napping and unwinding while awake can sharpen the mind

Research shows that when leisure is consciously chosen and when you can enjoy it without feeling guilty, the mental health benefits are greatest

The gradual unwinding that a holiday brings is familiar to many. The first day or two is spent thinking about work projects... problems at home... all the things waiting for you when you get back. Usually by about day-three, the holiday takes over. You find yourself focusing on the sunshine, the feeling of warmth in your bones, and relishing plans for what’s left of the holiday. Your brain is rewarding you with the benefits of having been rested.

Now, new research published in JAMA 2025 demonstrates what happens when the brain has little opportunity to wander. Associate chief for research in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard University, Roy Perlis, and his co-authors discovered a dose-response link between irritability and social media use in adults. Previous studies have found high levels of social media use are linked to depression. Higher levels of irritability were associated with time spent on social media, number of postings as well as active engagement.