New research has revealed that the average Australian spends around 13 hours a week scrolling on their phone — that’s roughly 676 hours a year. But how does Western Australia compare?
According to a national survey by health insurance comparison service iSelect, Western Australians are spending a significant amount of time on their devices. Almost a quarter (22%) reported being on their phones between 5 and 10 hours a week, while nearly 9% said they spend 15 to 20 hours scrolling. Alarmingly, almost 4% admitted to spending more than 50 hours a week on their phones — the equivalent of more than two full work weeks lost to screen time in just seven days.
The survey asked 1,000 Australians to check their phone’s screen time for the past week and report the total hours spent scrolling. Across the country, 26% of people said they used their phones for less than five hours a week, while 22% spent between 5 and 10 hours.
Western Australians were slightly more likely than the national average to fall into the “under five hours” category (31%), but also more likely to be among the heaviest users, with nearly 4% spending over 50 hours a week on their phones.
Experts warn that excessive screen time can have serious health impacts. “Scrolling on your phone for long periods of time can potentially contribute to several health issues, including headaches, physical strain in the hands, wrists, and neck, as well as disrupted sleep,” said Andres Gutierrez, General Manager – Health at iSelect.
A peer‑reviewed study of Australian adults found that higher levels of problematic smartphone use were linked to poorer sleep quality, greater stress, anxiety, and depression. The research also showed that sleep quality worsened as smartphone use increased.
The findings raise questions about how much time we spend online — and what we could be doing instead. Someone who scrolls for 10 hours a week could complete a 12‑week surf course, take weekly cooking classes, or volunteer in community programs. Cutting back by just five hours a week could free up more than 250 hours a year.
The full study is available at www.iselect.com.au/health-insurance/insights/australias-scrolling-habits.
