Research & source library

Reviewed 7 September 2026. Individual articles link the sources relevant to their claims. Community reports are anecdotal; our practical routines are editorial suggestions.

Research
Lindström et al. (2021) · A computational reward learning account of social media engagement
Computational analyses and an experiment on social rewards and posting behavior. Does not establish that all scrolling is addiction.
Research
Castelo et al. (2025) · Blocking mobile internet on smartphones improves sustained attention, mental health, and subjective well-being
A randomized intervention blocking mobile internet for two weeks. Compliance and generalizability were limitations; this was not a study of Modern Focus.
Research
Stothart et al. (2015) · The attentional cost of receiving a cell phone notification
An experiment on notifications and performance on an attention-demanding task. It does not establish a universal recovery time after every interruption.
Clinical explanation
Harvard Health · Dopamine fasting: Misunderstanding science spawns a maladaptive fad
Explains why a break from stimulation is not a literal dopamine cleanse or reset.
Product documentation
Google Android Help · Manage how you spend time on your Android phone with Digital Wellbeing
Documents app timers, midnight resets, Focus mode and device-dependent options. Features vary by phone and Android version.
Product documentation
Google Android Help · Set a bedtime schedule
Documents bedtime and wake times in Google Clock and related Digital Wellbeing options. Availability and behavior can vary by device.
Public health guidance
CDC · About Sleep
Lists general sleep-habit guidance, including regular sleep times and turning off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime. It does not evaluate Modern Focus.
Research
King, Moon, and Kushlev · Time-Specific Digital Detox Interventions
A preregistered daily-diary experiment with college students. Assigned 30-minute detox periods did not improve daily affect overall; adherence, subgroup findings, and generalizability limit stronger claims.
Research
Kim et al. (2026) · Social Media Use Soon After Waking and Depression Among U.S. Adults
A cross-sectional association that may be bidirectional. It does not show that avoiding social media after waking prevents or treats depression.
Community perspective
r/nosurf · Best app blocker for short-form content, but still need Instagram DMs?
A reader need, not a representative survey or a Modern Focus testimonial.
Community perspective
r/digitalminimalism · Are app blocking apps effective?
Discussion of bypassing restrictions, switching devices, and combining tools. Anecdotal and not independently verified.
Community perspective
r/digitalminimalism · It seems so simple
Discussion of reinstalling apps and moving between distractions. Used to identify an editorial question, not to measure prevalence.
Community perspective
r/nosurf · Hobbies I want to do, but I end up scrolling instead
A starting point for discussing the gap between finding ideas and starting an activity.