Don't read this first thing in the morning

Delaying the morning phone scroll — even by just a few minutes — could do wonders for your brain.

The big picture: We know staring at a screen all day isn't healthy. But even if a full digital detox isn't realistic, an offline morning can still go a long way.

Zoom out: Blocking smartphone access for two weeks — or even three days — is linked to more dopamine and serotonin and improved well-being, studies show. • And limiting phone usage to two hours a day had similar effects. • But even doing something else in the morning before looking at your phone can be hugely helpful, behavioral scientist Zelana Montminy, the author of the new book "Finding Focus," tells Axios.

Zoom in: "Your brain sort of wakes up like wet cement," says Montminy. The first "imprint" you make matters, she says.