A new wellness trend known as the “phone sober stroll” is gaining traction, encouraging walkers to leave their devices at home and immerse themselves in their surroundings. The practice has risen in popularity after Women’s Health reporter Serene Madani documented a week-long experiment of walking outdoors for an hour each day without her phone.
During her trial, Madani avoided checking her phone before heading out and instead focused on the environment around her. After just one day, she began adopting a TikTok-inspired technique of picking a single colour to spot while walking, which helped her stay present. By the end of the week, she reported feeling more present, more productive, and less moody, as well as enjoying quieter mornings.
The trend builds on the long-established benefits of walking. The Mayo Clinic notes that a daily walk can help prevent or manage heart disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and improve cognition, mood, and memory. It also echoes the “silent walking” trend from 2023, which involved walking without music or podcasts.
Experts have long highlighted the value of outdoor strolls, particularly when technology is left behind. Rael Cahn, a clinical associate professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences, compared the practice to mindful walking in the meditation tradition, describing it as “very powerful.” He explained that moving the body naturally engages the senses, even without formal meditation training.
Research suggests that phone use before sleep and after waking can contribute to anxiety and depression, making the phone sober stroll a useful way to decompress. As Cahn put it, “The richness of experience and the aliveness of the senses is not boring at all when you can really be present.” While ditching your phone may feel uncomfortable at first, the benefits appear to be well worth the effort.
