In today's fast-paced world, mobile phones have become integral to our daily lives. But when we rely on them for so many things, just how much time do we spend scrolling? The experts at Uswitch Mobiles surveyed 2,000 Brits on their mobile phone habits and crunched the numbers to reveal how much time people spend on their mobile phones, and just how far they scroll.
How much time per day do you estimate you spend using your mobile phone?
18 - 24
25 - 34
35 - 44
45 - 54
55 - 64
65+
Overall
Less than half an hour
8%
10%
8%
12%
24%
38%
16%
Between half an hour and an hour
10%
13%
15%
20%
27%
32%
20%
Over an hour, and up to two hours
23%
24%
21%
23%
22%
16%
21%
Over two hours, and up to three hours
19%
14%
25%
18%
11%
8%
17%
Over three hours, and up to four hours
12%
13%
13%
12%
8%
4%
11%
Over four hours, and up to five hours
11%
9%
8%
6%
5%
1%
7%
More than five hours
18%
17%
9%
8%
4%
1%
9%
Almost 1 in 10 respondents reported using their mobile phones for more than five hours a day.Whereas, more than half of respondents (57%) spend less than two hours on their mobile phones. 16% spend less than half an hour, 20% between half an hour and an hour, and 21% over an hour and up to two hours.Older respondents (65+) are less likely to use their mobile phones as frequently. Just 14% of people over 65 use their phones for more than two hours each day. However, younger respondents (18-24) are more likely to spend over two hours on their mobile phones, with 59% doing so.How many miles do we scroll in a year?So, we’ve seen how much time people are spending on their phones, but how does all of that doom-scrolling look in terms of distance?The experts at Uswitch Mobiles analysed the average scrollable length of a phone display, reading speed, number of lines read per day and number of lines on the screen at one time to reveal the length the average person scrolls on their phone.Based on these factors, it’s estimated that the average person scrolls around 519 inches on their phones each day.Looking over an even longer period, this equates to:
303 feet a week - just less than the height of the Statue of Liberty
1,316 feet a month - just more than the height of the Eiffel Tower
Three miles a year - a similar height to the Everest base camps
Further insights:
Eye strain is the most common mobile phone injury, affecting 22% of respondents.
The second most common injury is text claw (cramps in the hands and wrist, 18%).
The least common injuries include mobile phone elbow, also known as cubital tunnel syndrome, (tingling or numbness in fingers, 8%) and other unspecified injuries (1%).