Has anyone ever told you that the way that they reset after an intense experience is to sit down with their phone to maybe watch a funny video or two? It makes sense: laughter lowers cortisol and releases endorphins, shifting how we feel in our bodies, and if our phones can provide an easy laugh, then of course we’ll keep looking to them.

There’s a vast difference between watching a funny video or two and problematic smartphone usage (PSU), which research describes as the inability to control or regulate smartphone use, detrimentally affecting activities of daily life and relationships. PSU is further indicated by symptoms of withdrawal, anger, restlessness or anxiety when the device is not available (Ndayambaje, 2025).

But what happens to our nervous systems when one or two funny videos turns into an hour of scrolling, maybe followed by another? And to what extent can this affect athletic performance?

The answer, per existing research, is that it depends on many factors, including the type of content consumed, the frequency and duration of consumption (was it just an hour, one time, or is it thirty minutes to an hour multiple times a day), and individual traits and vulnerabilities, including age, pre-existing mental health conditions, and attachment to particular platforms and/or other users in those........

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