https://unrotten.app/blog/Research and practical guides for taking your attention back from your phone: doomscrolling, screen time, sleep, focus and the apps that help.en-us https://unrotten.app/blog/infinite-scroll/https://unrotten.app/blog/infinite-scroll/Mon, 02 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyInfinite scroll loads more content as you near the bottom, so the feed never ends. What it does to your attention, and how to add back a stopping point. https://unrotten.app/blog/instagram-addiction/https://unrotten.app/blog/instagram-addiction/Mon, 02 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyInstagram addiction isn't an official diagnosis, but likes, Reels and comparison make it hard to close. Why it happens, and how to cut back without quitting. https://unrotten.app/blog/tiktok-addiction/https://unrotten.app/blog/tiktok-addiction/Mon, 02 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyTikTok addiction is real enough to measure. Here's why the For You feed is so hard to leave, what heavy use is linked to, and how to cut back for good. https://unrotten.app/blog/digital-minimalism/https://unrotten.app/blog/digital-minimalism/Sun, 01 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyDigital minimalism explained: Cal Newport's three principles, his 30-day digital declutter, what the research supports, and how to start this week. https://unrotten.app/blog/dopamine-addiction/https://unrotten.app/blog/dopamine-addiction/Sun, 01 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyDopamine addiction isn't a diagnosis, but the pull it names is real. What dopamine actually does, why feeds hook you, and what helps loosen their grip. https://unrotten.app/blog/how-to-see-screen-time-iphone/https://unrotten.app/blog/how-to-see-screen-time-iphone/Sun, 01 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyHow to see screen time on iPhone, step by step for iOS 27 and iOS 26: your daily average, apps, pickups and notifications, and what to do with the numbers. https://unrotten.app/blog/how-to-focus-better/https://unrotten.app/blog/how-to-focus-better/Sat, 31 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyHow to focus better with a routine the research supports: where your phone goes, which alerts to silence, when to take breaks and what to do when the urge hits. https://unrotten.app/blog/how-to-improve-attention-span/https://unrotten.app/blog/how-to-improve-attention-span/Sat, 31 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyHow to improve attention span with what the trials support: practice that carries over, a few minutes of meditation, exercise and a phone that interrupts less. https://unrotten.app/blog/phantom-vibration-syndrome/https://unrotten.app/blog/phantom-vibration-syndrome/Sat, 31 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyPhantom vibration syndrome is feeling your phone buzz when it didn't. Why it happens, how common it is, who gets it most and the simple changes that help. https://unrotten.app/blog/one-sec-app/https://unrotten.app/blog/one-sec-app/Fri, 30 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyOur one sec app review: how the breathing pause before your apps works, what Pro costs, what its two studies found and who it suits. Checked October 2026. https://unrotten.app/blog/short-attention-span/https://unrotten.app/blog/short-attention-span/Fri, 30 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyA short attention span usually comes from how your days run, not a fixed flaw. The everyday causes, what the research shows and what to change first. https://unrotten.app/blog/social-media-blocker-app/https://unrotten.app/blog/social-media-blocker-app/Fri, 30 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyThe best social media blocker apps for iPhone, compared on price, how firmly they block and what they cover, from Freedom and Opal to Apple's Screen Time. https://unrotten.app/blog/forest-app/https://unrotten.app/blog/forest-app/Thu, 29 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyOur Forest app review: how its focus timer, Deep Focus blocking and Time Guard work, what's free, what Forest Plus costs and who it suits. Checked October 2026. https://unrotten.app/blog/opal-screen-time-app/https://unrotten.app/blog/opal-screen-time-app/Thu, 29 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyOur Opal screen time app review: what the free plan includes, what Opal Pro costs, how strict its blocks get and who should pick another app. Checked October 2026. https://unrotten.app/blog/screenzen/https://unrotten.app/blog/screenzen/Thu, 29 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyOur ScreenZen review: how the free screen time app's wait, strict blocks and settings locks work, what Halo adds, and who it suits. Checked October 2026. https://unrotten.app/blog/bepresent-app/https://unrotten.app/blog/bepresent-app/Wed, 28 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyOur BePresent app review: how its streaks, money stakes, leaderboards and rewards work, what it costs, and what the research says. Checked October 2026. https://unrotten.app/blog/blocksite/https://unrotten.app/blog/blocksite/Wed, 28 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyOur BlockSite review: what it blocks on iPhone and in your browser, what it costs, how firm its blocks are, and the best alternatives. Checked October 2026. https://unrotten.app/blog/brick-review/https://unrotten.app/blog/brick-review/Wed, 28 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyOur Brick review: how the $59 phone blocker works, what Brick Night adds, its catches, and who should pick an app or a lock box instead. Checked October 2026. https://unrotten.app/blog/dopamine-nation-summary/https://unrotten.app/blog/dopamine-nation-summary/Tue, 27 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyA Dopamine Nation summary for your phone: Anna Lembke's pleasure-pain balance, 30-day dopamine fast and self-binding, with what the research supports. https://unrotten.app/blog/how-to-stop-phone-addiction/https://unrotten.app/blog/how-to-stop-phone-addiction/Tue, 27 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyHow to stop phone addiction in 30 days: a week-by-week plan to see your habit, quiet your phone, cut back by an hour and make it stick, backed by trials. https://unrotten.app/blog/social-media-mental-health/https://unrotten.app/blog/social-media-mental-health/Tue, 27 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyWhat research on social media and mental health finds: a small link on average, bigger harms from compulsive use and comparison, and how to judge your feeds. https://unrotten.app/blog/digital-detox/https://unrotten.app/blog/digital-detox/Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyA digital detox is a planned break from your phone and screens. What the studies found, what the first days feel like, and how to do one that lasts. https://unrotten.app/blog/turn-smartphone-into-dumb-phone/https://unrotten.app/blog/turn-smartphone-into-dumb-phone/Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyA dumb smartphone keeps the tools and loses the feed. How to turn your iPhone into a dumb phone step by step, and which changes the research supports. https://unrotten.app/blog/best-dumb-phones/https://unrotten.app/blog/best-dumb-phones/Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyThe best dumb phones of 2026 compared: Light Phone III, Mudita Kompakt, Sunbeam F1 Pro and Wisephone II, with prices, carriers and the iPhone alternative. https://unrotten.app/blog/average-screen-time/https://unrotten.app/blog/average-screen-time/Sun, 25 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyWhat's the average screen time for adults? Phone use from real usage logs, TV and feed time by age, what's typical worldwide, and how your own number compares. https://unrotten.app/blog/how-much-screen-time-is-too-much/https://unrotten.app/blog/how-much-screen-time-is-too-much/Sun, 25 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyHow much screen time is too much for adults? What studies link with 3, 4 and 6 hours a day, the signs that matter more than hours, and how to set your own limit. https://unrotten.app/blog/popcorn-brain/https://unrotten.app/blog/popcorn-brain/Sun, 25 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyWhat is popcorn brain? Where the term comes from, what studies of switching, multitasking and boredom say about it, and seven ways to calm a restless mind. https://unrotten.app/blog/apple-screen-time-vs-apps/https://unrotten.app/blog/apple-screen-time-vs-apps/Sat, 24 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyApple Screen Time is free and built in, but by default its limits can be ignored. What it does well, where it falls short, and when an app is worth it. https://unrotten.app/blog/grayscale-iphone/https://unrotten.app/blog/grayscale-iphone/Sat, 24 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyHow to turn on grayscale on iPhone, switch it with a triple click or an automation, and what studies found it does to your screen time. Steps for iOS 26 and 27. https://unrotten.app/blog/social-media-detox/https://unrotten.app/blog/social-media-detox/Sat, 24 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyHow to do a social media detox: how long to go, what the first days feel like, what the trials found, and how to come back without sliding back in. https://unrotten.app/blog/doomscrolling/https://unrotten.app/blog/doomscrolling/Fri, 23 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyDoomscrolling is scrolling bad news long after it stops helping. Why your brain can't stop, what studies say it does to your mood, and how to break the loop. https://unrotten.app/blog/nomophobia/https://unrotten.app/blog/nomophobia/Fri, 23 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyNomophobia is the fear of being without your phone. What it means, the signs researchers measure, why separation feels so stressful, and how to ease it. https://unrotten.app/blog/opal-alternatives/https://unrotten.app/blog/opal-alternatives/Fri, 23 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyThe best Opal alternatives for iPhone, compared on price, how they block and who they suit, from free ScreenZen to Brick and Unrotten. Checked October 2026. https://unrotten.app/blog/attention-span/https://unrotten.app/blog/attention-span/Thu, 22 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyIs your attention span really shrinking? The goldfish myth, what research shows about phones and focus, and the changes that help you get your attention back. https://unrotten.app/blog/how-to-lock-apps-iphone/https://unrotten.app/blog/how-to-lock-apps-iphone/Thu, 22 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyHow to lock apps on iPhone, step by step: Face ID locks for privacy, Screen Time limits on iOS 26 and iOS 27, and how to make a limit hold when you're tired. https://unrotten.app/blog/social-media-addiction/https://unrotten.app/blog/social-media-addiction/Thu, 22 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbySocial media addiction isn't a formal diagnosis, but the pull is real. The signs, why feeds are so hard to put down, and what trials show helps you cut back. https://unrotten.app/blog/dopamine-menu/https://unrotten.app/blog/dopamine-menu/Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyHow to make a dopamine menu that beats the scroll: a simple template, 50 ideas sorted into starters, mains, sides and specials, and what the research says. https://unrotten.app/blog/phone-addiction/https://unrotten.app/blog/phone-addiction/Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyPhone addiction isn't an official diagnosis, but the pull is real. The signs researchers look for, why phones hook us, and the changes that help you break it. https://unrotten.app/blog/best-screen-time-apps-iphone/https://unrotten.app/blog/best-screen-time-apps-iphone/Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyThe best screen time apps for iPhone, compared: what each one shows you, how it limits your apps, what it costs and who it suits. Checked October 2026. https://unrotten.app/blog/dopamine-detox/https://unrotten.app/blog/dopamine-detox/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyA dopamine detox can't flush dopamine, but its core idea works. What the science says, plus a 7-day plan and a dopamine menu to replace the cheap hits. https://unrotten.app/blog/how-to-stop-doomscrolling/https://unrotten.app/blog/how-to-stop-doomscrolling/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyHow to stop doomscrolling, according to the research: why feeds are so hard to put down, and the changes that cut scrolling in studies, with the numbers. https://unrotten.app/blog/revenge-bedtime-procrastination/https://unrotten.app/blog/revenge-bedtime-procrastination/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyRevenge bedtime procrastination is staying up late to win back time for yourself. Why it happens, what it costs your sleep, and what helps, from the research. https://unrotten.app/blog/best-app-blockers-iphone/https://unrotten.app/blog/best-app-blockers-iphone/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyTen app blockers for iPhone compared on price, how they block and how easy they are to get around, from Opal and Brick to Apple's free Screen Time. https://unrotten.app/blog/best-phone-lock-boxes/https://unrotten.app/blog/best-phone-lock-boxes/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMTMaren AshbyThe best phone lock boxes compared: timed boxes like the kSafe, Yondr pouches, Brick and Unpluq, and an app that locks only the apps that eat your day.