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The average British adult picks their phone up every 12 minutes of the waking day. If we take a 15-hour day as the average (so waking up at around 7am and hitting the hay at 11pm), that equates to 75 times a day. Between Whatsapping, Insta scrolling and all those TikTok holes, it’s easy to see how the number can rack up, especially when checking our phones has become so habitual that we even do it during a workout. But did you know that doing so could impact how effective your workout is and how likely you are to see any results? Here’s how.

In one 2017 study, researchers found that texting during exercise like walking or running could impact your postural stability by up to 45%, leaving you more susceptible to tripping or falling. The same risk goes for strength training. Another study in 2014 found that using a smartphone during workout rest times can slow down your reaction time as it acts as a cognitive distraction meaning your nervous system isn’t directly connected to your brain and muscles. In turn, you’ll be less coordinated when it comes to attempting your next lift, and could wind up in you dropping your weight, for example.

It’s not just about using a smartphone during workouts, either. An increased use in day-to-day life has a cumulative effect on your general reaction time.

Fitness expert Bree-Anna Burick from BarBend explains: ‘Using your smartphone a lot each day can slow down your overall reaction time. So even if you’re not spending your rest time on your phone, you may still be less coordinated when you go for a heavy clean and jerk.’

It’s hardly surprising that texting or talking on a phone while exercising means you’ll be less focussed on the task at hand and more interested in the latest Love Island gossip (or whatever it is your Whatsapp group chat is putting to rights), but it might surprise you to know the extent of which this could impact your workout.

A 2016 study found that people who texted during a 20-minute workout spent almost 10 minutes in a low-intensity zone, and only seven minutes in high intensity. Those who worked out without their phones spent only three minutes in low intensity, and 13 minutes in high intensity, due to a dual-tasking effect, i.e. the brain is attempting to manage two tasks at once, and therefore its capacity is spread across the two.

By the same token, another study in 2015 found that the average speed of participants who were texting or talking on their phones during a treadmill run was significantly lower than those who ran without their phones in sight. The average heart rate of those who continued to text was also significantly lower than those who didn’t.

‘This is especially important to keep in mind if your time in the gym is limited,’ says Burick. ‘If you go in for a HIIT workout but spend too much time on your phone, it can end up turning into a regular session, and one of the advantages of HIIT is that you do more work in less time. Spending too much of that time on your phone can affect your progress and how efficient your workout is.’

Granted, you probably don’t text mid-squat or bench press like you may do when cycling, running or walking, but just having your phone in your eyeline during a strength training session could have implications.

For a 2006 study, participants were asked to lift a 15.9kg weight at a fixed rate for 30 minutes. They had ‘cognitive distractions’ throughout their training, and the results showed that these led to a reduction in elbow and shoulder flexion and extension. Though it isn’t explicitly stated in the study that these ‘cognitive distractions’ included a phone, Burick explains that this is exactly the kind of thing she has seen have an impact.

‘Even if your smartphone isn’t directly in your hand, cognitive distractions could include hearing the ping of a text message or seeing a notification light up your screen,’ she says. ‘Therefore, your screen lighting up can be just as distracting as actually checking your phone.

‘These seemingly harmless interruptions might reduce your movement and range of motion, which can lead to a less efficient workout overall, therefore affecting your progress.’

But we’ve got to give phones their due. Texting/scrolling aside, they can be an invaluable fitness tool: they count steps, help you track progress when connected to a fitness tracker, and can be used for watching YouTube workout videos or following training plans.

What’s more, the 2015 study mentioned above found that listening to music on a phone resulted in faster treadmill runs and greater enjoyment of running as a whole. In fact, you’d probably be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t listen to music during a workout, so if you’re not going to leave your phone at home, what can you do? Try downloading your workout playlist beforehand so that you can put your phone on Airplane mode and avoid any incoming Whatsapps or calls. Make gym time 'you time' and you’ll reap the rewards.