Young Americans Are Unplugging, And It’s Making Them Happier

Gen Z leads the way when it comes to taking a much-needed ‘digital detox,’ survey shows

Half of Americans now deliberately spend less time on screens, and the choice is paying off. People who create screen-free windows in their day say they feel more productive, more present with loved ones, and more aware of what’s happening around them. But here’s the kicker: 70% of time spent online actually leaves people feeling disconnected and lonely rather than connected to others.

Gen Z is driving this shift. Despite growing up with smartphones as extensions of their hands, 63% now intentionally unplug. That’s the highest rate of any generation surveyed. Millennials follow at 57%, then Gen X at 42% and baby boomers at 29%. Digital natives, it turns out, are the first to recognize what all that connectivity is costing them.

Survey data from Talker Research reveals what happens when screens dominate: people feel overwhelmed (25%), anxious (22%), irritable (18%), and dissatisfied with their lives (19%). Those negative emotions build gradually until the device meant to provide relief becomes the source of stress.

Screen-Free Time Is Rising Across Generations

More than half of Gen Z (54%) and millennials (43%) now set aside dedicated offline periods each day, compared with 33% of Gen X and 22% of baby boomers. That intentional boundary-setting marks a shift from passive consumption to active choice about when devices get attention.

Barbara Hagen, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for ThriftBooks, which commissioned the survey, noted that “people are more aware than ever of the value of offline time.” That awareness is translating into action. Eighty-four percent of Americans report incorporating analogue lifestyle choices, meaning more non-digital tools and slower, more tangible ways of living into their routines.

What Digital Disconnection Looks Like in Practice

When Americans step away from screens, they’re picking up physical objects that create natural boundaries. Writing notes in notebooks tops the list at 32%, followed by reading printed books at 31%. Paper calendars claim 28%, while board games and puzzles attract 27%. Physical alarm clocks, chosen specifically to keep phones out of bedrooms, rank at 27%.

Nearly a quarter of people (23%) have returned to writing paper letters. Twenty percent use paper planners. Seventeen percent wear wristwatches for timekeeping instead of checking phones. Records or CDs and dedicated cameras each draw 17% and 12% adoption respectively.

These aren’t random nostalgic choices. A notebook doesn’t send notifications. A board game doesn’t auto-play the next episode. A watch tells time without delivering a flood of texts and app alerts. Physical objects force pauses that screens eliminate.

Reading Gains Ground Against Screen Time

Books are winning back attention. When people compare how reading makes them feel versus scrolling online, the gap is wide. Reading produces relaxation (46%), mental stimulation (32%), and a sense of being grounded (27%).

Seventy percent of Americans plan to read more in 2026, with half specifically choosing physical books over digital versions. Fiction and nonfiction will split fairly evenly: 29% expect equal amounts of both, 24% will focus more on nonfiction, and 22% plan to read more fiction.

“Reading books, especially printed ones, is an excellent way to slow down, ground yourself and really immerse yourself in an activity that gives back to you,” Hagen said. “Not only is it mentally stimulating, but it’s a great way to relax, calm down and get a break from our busy lives.”

The Bigger Picture

Two-thirds of Americans plan to embrace slow living in 2026. It’s a mindful approach prioritizing quality over speed. Gen Z (71%) and millennials (70%) lead here too, though the philosophy is spreading across age groups.

When people want offline time, they choose reading (32%), face-to-face time with friends and family (51%), hands-on hobbies (31%), and outdoor activities (41%). More than three-quarters (77%) say that as they’ve aged, they’ve realized how much the real world matters compared to the online one.

Let’s not get too carried away: Americans aren’t abandoning technology. They’re reclaiming control over when and how they use it. Digital tools provide real utility, but utility and omnipresence aren’t the same thing. A phone can be useful without being ever-present. As 2026 begins, that distinction is finally becoming clear.

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