While a growing body of research links increased screen time on smartphones with a decrease in mental health, one company sought to answer if any smartphone apps directly contribute to unhappiness.
The data was collected by the company Time Well Spent, a technology ethicist advocacy group, with Moment, an app that tracks users’ smartphone activity.
A survey of 200,000 iPhone users found that 10 minutes on Calm.com — an app with meditation and breathing exercises — was associated with happiness in 99 percent of users.
Conversely, 77 percent of users who spent more than 61 minutes daily on the hookup app Grinder reported it making them unhappy. Likewise, Candy Crush Saga — the addictive puzzle game — caused unhappiness in 71 percent of its users who spent at least 46 minutes a day playing.
The third unhappiest app was Facebook, with downturned mouths of 64 percent of users spending 59 minutes or more.
The ranking happiest apps behind Calm.com included Google Calendar (99 percent of respondents using three minutes daily); the meditation apps Headspace (99 percent for four minutes) and Insight Timer (99 percent for 20 minutes) and the Weather app (97 percent for three minutes).
In general, the findings show that any increase in time spent on a smartphone app is related a decrease in happiness. For example, users reported feeling happier when spending 22 minutes on Facebook as opposed to 59 minutes. Data was similar for Candy Crush (12 minutes vs 49 minutes); Reddit (29 minutes vs 57 minutes) and Instagram (26 minutes vs 54 minutes).
The only app that increased happiness with the amount of time spent was Google Maps, with those using it for less than 20 minutes a day more unhappy than those who spent more time on the app.
• Laura Kelly can be reached at lkelly@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.