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Newsweek
01-08-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Half of Baby Boomers Spend More Than Three Hours on Their Phones Daily
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Half of baby boomers are spending more than three hours on their phones each day, according to a new survey from The older age cohort, which includes ages 61 to 79, showed signs of potential digital addiction despite stereotypes that phone and social media overuse mainly impacts younger age groups. Why It Matters The report from found that 50 percent of their mostly baby boomer sample reported spending more than three hours daily on their smartphones. Roughly 20 percent spent more than five hours per day. Adults are recommended to limit their recreational screen time to less than two hours per day, according to A report from found that 50 percent of their mostly baby boomer sample reported spending more than three hours daily on their smartphones. A report from found that 50 percent of their mostly baby boomer sample reported spending more than three hours daily on their To Know A 2024 study from Pew Research discovered that nearly half of American teens are online "almost constantly," but that behavior isn't limited to young Americans. While baby boomers grew up without cellphones and the internet, they have a high usage rate of cellular devices in their golden years. The survey was based on responses from 2,000 people ages 59 to 77, making the majority of respondents baby boomers. Of that group, 40 percent said they felt anxious or uncomfortable when they don't have access to their digital devices. And 50 percent said they check their phone within an hour of waking up every day. What People Are Saying HR consultant and generational expert Bryan Driscoll told Newsweek: "Boomers spend hours glued to their phones, but it's not connection—it's isolation. Many struggle to separate fact from fiction online, making them more vulnerable to misinformation and digital echo chambers. This isn't just about screen time, it's about a generation grappling with loneliness and a shifting sense of what's real." Ruth Hernandez, a mental health counselor at told Newsweek: "Honestly, it's not that surprising anymore to see baby boomers spending hours on their phones. Many of them use smartphones for everything these days, such as texting with family, managing their health apps, reading the news, staying in touch on social media, and even streaming shows or watching videos. It's become part of their daily routine, just like it is for younger folks." What Happens Next The findings of the survey indicate that digital addiction is not a problem exclusive to younger generations, Hernandez said. "This really pushes back on the old stereotype that older people aren't tech-savvy or don't care about digital life," she said. "The truth is, boomers have adapted, many of them pretty quickly, and in some cases, they're just as glued to their screens as the rest of us. "At the end of the day, it shows that digital habits aren't tied to age anymore. They've become part of how we all live, work and connect. Whether you're 25 or 75, the pull of your phone is real."
New York Post
26-04-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Gen Z women binge drink, abuse stimulants the most: Research
Gen Z women are abusing stimulants and binge drinking more than their male counterparts — and any other age group, new studies have found. Nearly 37% of women ages 18 to 25 reported excessively popping uppers such as Adderall and Ritalin in the past year, more than double that reported by women older than them, according to a study published last month in JAMA Psychiatry. Only 25% of women ages 26 to 34 reported improper use, according to the study. Women 35 to 64, who researchers said have seen largest rise in stimulant prescriptions, are abusing them the least — 13.7%. Advertisement 4 Nearly 37% of women aged 18 to 25 years reported misuse of prescription stimulants. Alex DiStasi – Men were not far behind women in abuse of the drugs, which have become so increasingly popular since 2020 that there have been national shortages. Among men ages 18 to 25 who are prescribed the medication, 36.1% reported misuse compared to 36.3% of men aged 26 to 35 and 22% of men ages 35 to 64. Of the 83,762 men and women ages 18 to 64 included in the study, only a quarter of them reported misusing the drugs, including taking them without being prescribed or taking higher or more frequent doses than ordered. Advertisement While older women often pop the pills to manage daily life with families, many younger women suffer 'feelings of inadequacy' for not meeting social, physical, career and relationship standards, experts say. 4 Amphetamines, which stimulate the dopamine reward system the most, were abused three times more. standret – 'There's pressure to have the perfect grades, perfect body, be super popular on social media, and appear to have it all figured out,' Stacey Ross, a mental health specialist at told The Post. 'Some feel like they need to be 'on' constantly, and that the misuse of stimulants seems like a quick solution to stay there,' Ross said. Advertisement The study's authors said the findings highlight a need for prevention and intervention. They looked at the two types of drugs most commonly used to treat ADHD and help with concentration and alertness: amphetamines, which include Adderall and Vyvanse, and methylphenidates like Ritalin and Concerta. Amphetamines, which stimulate the dopamine reward system more than methylphenidates, were found to be abused three times higher. Women were historically misdiagnosed and underdiagnosed with ADHD but the gender gap has been closing, especially since the pandemic, according to experts. 4 Young women also reported binge drinking more than any other group, another study found. Witoon – Advertisement The alarming findings follow reports that young women are also out-drinking men for the first time. A study published last week in JAMA of 267,843 men and women 18 and older found that 31.6% of women ages 18 to 25 reported binge drinking — consuming four or more drinks on one occasion — more than any other group. The study compared men's and women's habits over two time periods, 2017 to 2019 and 2021 to 2023. It found that men's binge-drinking levels plummeted nearly 8 percentage points, from 37.7% to 29.9%. But women didn't see such a drop, falling only 4.8 percent from the prior years. 4 Societal pressures drive some women to seek pharmacological support, experts say. íí»íµí°ííµí¹ íâí¾í½íµí½í°í¾ – Experts say heavy alcohol use has become more acceptable for women and that they are increasingly targeted through marketing and social media campaigns, especially those with higher socio-economic status. 'For females, there continues to be pressure to be 'fun,' 'cool,' or 'relaxed,' and too often, that means drinking,' Ross said. The disturbing findings come amid an increase in alcohol-related liver disease and mortality among young- and middle-aged women than men.
