Americans check their smartphones 96 times a day, survey says

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - New research shows the U.S. is deep into the digital age with data showing Americans check their phones 96 times a day.

That’s once every 10 minutes, according to global tech care company Asurion. 

The company also said it’s a 20% increase from a similar survey researchers conducted two years ago.

However, Asurion said roughly 50% of Americans are attempting to use their phones less. 

RELATED: Nearly 50 percent of parents worry about their kids' smartphone addiction: study

The company’s data also showed 18- to 24-year-olds check their phones twice as much as the national average, and the age group is aware of their heavy phone usage. 

Other key findings from the survey include that staying connected with family and friends is the number one reason people use their phones. Texting is now common among all age groups with baby boomers being seven times more likely to text than talk in-person and twice as likely to send a text rather than dial a phone number.

Also, nearly 50% of Americans say their smartphones actually help them achieve more work-life balance, not less.

RELATED: Study: Smartphone addiction creates imbalances in brain

But there’s a downside to being glued to the phone. 

The survey showed nearly nine out of 10 Americans are offended when someone they're speaking with starts looking at their phone. Ironically, 75% of survey takers admit they've done it themselves. And, nearly one in five say they do this frequently.

However, there are ways to help pay attention to and even curb phone usage. 

For iPhones users, smartphones come with a "screen time" feature that clocks the total amount of time you spend on your phone. 

RELATED: New app aims to prevent health problems from texting too much on your phone

A Washington Post article suggested people not check their emails first thing in the morning and set limits on when and where you check your phone. 

Smartphone addiction isn’t a diagnosable condition under the fifth edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is a catalog of officially recognized mental disorders. 

Research shows smartphone use triggers dopamine, the neurotransmitter responsible for the brain’s reward and pleasure zones— the same chemical released while eating, and, some studies show, while playing video games. The neurotransmitter has been tied to addiction, but knowing whether you have developed an unhealthy dependence on your smartphone depends on you and your loved ones’ feelings, said John Grohol, founder of online mental health resource Psych Central.

"What we look for is that it’s having a significant negative impact on their ability to do things they do normally every day, like going to work and school, and being able to have a positive relationship in their life … and having friends and seeing them on a regular basis," Grohol told FoxNews.com. "If people prefer talking to their partners or friends via Facebook or texting, that’s OK — that’s not a disorder. The disorder really happens when the person feels like it’s interfering with their everyday life."

FOX News contributed to this report. This story was reported from Los Angeles.