The 2026 Analogue Movement: Can Reducing Screen Time Support Young People’s Mental Wellbeing?
January 04, 2026
The Year of Analogue
It’s 2026, the year that has been trending on social media as becoming “The Year of Physical Media” and “The Year of Analogue”.
We see lots of posts on decreasing social media and technology use in the new year and focusing on physical media and creating rather than consuming. This isn’t a surprising trend considering 48% of 16-24-year-olds admit to spending too much time on social media, and 42% of young people aged 16-24 years are displaying signs of early social media addiction.
But what does this actually mean, and is it good for our mental health? That is what this article aims to cover.
What does going back to physical media mean, and what are the benefits?
Going back to physical media means taking a step back from technology. It doesn’t mean ditching the technology entirely, just reducing the amount we use it.
Prolonged time on screens can lead to procrastination, mental health struggles, and isolation from human interaction. The idea behind returning to physical media is to tackle this, to become more involved in creating, and to reconnect with ourselves. Some benefits of using physical media include:
Rediscovering your inner child
By using physical media such as paper journals and creative activities such as painting, crochet, playing an instrument, or baking, you can rediscover childhood activities you loved.
Improved health
Research has shown that those who decreased their social media use had better immune function than before and slept better.
Human interaction
Whilst technology can make keeping in touch with people a lot easier, it can also take away from personal connections and interactions. A decrease in technology use may lead to an increase in in-person socialising and meaningful connections.
Owning products
With physical media, you have more control over the products you have. Once you have paid for them, they are yours; you can keep them for as long as you want, and you can get rid of them when you want. Physical media also provides you with something tangible that you can easily go back to.
Ways to use more physical media
It may sound simple, but in a world so dependent on technology, it can seem difficult to know where to actually start! Here are some ideas to slowly start increasing your use of physical media:
Puzzle books
Puzzle books can be a great form of physical media to use for entertainment. When waiting at a bus stop or on your lunch break, it can be really easy to become consumed by scrolling social media and not realise the time passing.
Whilst this can be a great way to switch off sometimes, it can also be a good idea to change this routine occasionally with other media. Puzzle books can be a great idea to pass some time, work your brain, and enjoy completing something.
Create more and consume less
Creating things can help you reconnect with yourself and your interests; it can even help you find things you love that you never knew about before!
Creative activities can also support mental health by providing you with a creative outlet to express your feelings or interests. They also give you something to focus on and to practice, which can support focus, attention and discipline.
Buy DVDs and CDs
Buying DVDs and CDs can give you the freedom to watch your favourite films or listen to your favourite music whenever you want. You can begin to create collections and can have more control over what you can access.
Writing letters to keep in contact
As mentioned, technology has made keeping in touch with people a lot easier, but sometimes this can take away from meaningful conversation. Writing letters can be a fun way to keep in contact with loved ones, can feel more personalised, and you can keep the letters to look back on in the future.
Final Thoughts
There are many benefits to increasing physical media use. It’s not about never accessing digital media; it just means finding a balance. There are many ways you can begin to increase your physical media use, and that starts by focusing on what you enjoy and what suits you.
Happy New Year!