The Benefits of Digital Detox: Why Taking a Break from Screens is Essential for Your Wellbeing 📱
Digital Detox. Dopamine Brain Fasting. Blue Light Exposure. Breaking up with your Screen.
In today’s hyperconnected world, our screens have become an integral part of daily life. Whether it’s work, socialising, entertainment, or staying informed, we spend a considerable amount of time in front of computers, smartphones, and tablets. I for one, operate between two laptops, occasionally three, two phones, and external monitors. But that seems to be most people around here in London!
Undoubtedly the technology has brought many benefits into our lives, such as convenience and instant access to information, however, there is a downside to it when it comes to our health, both physical and mental.
The term "digital detox" refers to simply stepping away from screens, even if only temporarily, to reclaim your time and focus on your mental and physical wellbeing. Dr Cameron Sepah, a clinical psychiatrist at Harvard University has created the term of “dopamine detox”, which simply is a similar to the digital detox.
But why is it so important to take a break from digital devices? Here’s why a digital detox might be just what you need.
Improved Mental Health: Reducing Anxiety and Stress
One of the most significant benefits of a digital detox is the positive impact it can have on your mental health. It’s been proven that constant exposure to social media, the constant email and news notifications can lead to information overload and heightened stress levels. We’ve all caughts ourselves doomscrolling on various social media / mobile apps, a bit more than we wished we did. Time is a weird concept doing while in the act, and you just get absorbed with the constant stream of content. This fosters FOMO, constant comparison with others, and sadly we get absorbed in a reality that’s simply not true. Now, this reality can increase anxiety, stress, depression, be a catalyst for eating disorders due to the comparisons and much more. Outside of that all that blue light exposure messes with your brain, and so your sleep.
Taking a step back from your devices gives your mind a chance to recharge and unwind. Without the constant bombardment of notifications, you can better focus on the present moment, whether that’s spending quality time with loved ones or simply enjoying a peaceful moment on your own while say reading your book.
Simply, reducing screen time has been shown to lower anxiety, improve mood, and increase overall mental clarity.
Better Sleep Quality: Combatting the Blue Light Effect
We’ve all heard that staring at screens before bed can disrupt sleep, and here’s the why. Screens emit blue light, which interferes with the production of melatonin, the hormone responsible for regulating sleep. When you use your phone, tablet, or laptop late into the evening, your body is tricked into thinking it’s still daytime, making it harder to fall asleep.
By simply cutting down on the time you’re spending on your phone, especially in the evening before you fall asleep, you can significantly improve the quality of your sleep. Turning off screens an hour or two before bed allows your body to naturally produce melatonin, helping you drift off to sleep more easily and wake up feeling refreshed.
What I often do is leave my phone and laptop outside of reach when in bed, so even if I can’t fall asleep straight away I can’t reach my hand out and just grab the phone. Another option is downloading an app to block the access to apps after a certain time, which has also worked quite well for me too! (I use Freedom app)
Boosting Productivity and Focus: Less Multitasking, More Efficiency
It’s easy to think that being constantly connected makes us more productive, but the truth is that multitasking between emails, social media, and other digital distractions often hampers efficiency. Each time you switch between tasks, your brain takes a moment to refocus, leading to decreased productivity and increased mental fatigue. I’m also referring to all the Teams messages, the constant stream of emails, even within your work environment these notification can disrupt concentration.
This is why the Do Not Disturb feature is truly godsent! You can even customise to include specific contacts only to receive notification, or some specific apps - say calls only allowed, rather than any texts or social media notifications.
A digital detox can help restore your focus by removing these distractions, allowing you to complete tasks more efficiently and with greater attention to detail. By setting aside specific times to check your devices, rather than constantly being on standby, you may find that you not only get more done but also feel less overwhelmed throughout the day.
How to Start Your Digital Detox
If the idea of a full digital detox feels daunting, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Let’s not forget drastic changes NEVER work. Start small by setting aside designated screen-free periods during the day. You might begin with no screens during meals or an hour of screen-free time before bed. Over time, you can build up to a full weekend or even a holiday without any devices. The goal is to create a healthy balance between enjoying the benefits of technology and prioritising your mental and physical health.
Now, I’m not saying completely disconnect as that’s not practical either, but if you’re finding that you’re excessively spending time say on Insta, TikTok, or say Twitter, maybe you can aim to reduce those hours per day.
In summary, taking regular breaks from your devices can have profound benefits, from improved mental health and sleep to better focus and deeper relationships. A digital detox is more than just a break from screens—it’s a chance to reconnect with yourself and the world around you.
Additionally, a digital detox promotes mindfulness. Without the distraction of devices, you become more aware of your surroundings and are able to engage fully in activities like reading, walking, or even enjoying a meal. These moments of mindfulness are essential for reducing stress and enhancing overall wellbeing.
We often say that boredom is the worst thing that we can experience, but in reality when we’re not on our phone or binge watching Netflix, our so called “boredom” can harvest creativity and allows for new ideas to be born.
So why not give it a try? Your mind, body, and relationships will thank you for it. 🧘🏻♀️
I hope you enjoyed, thank you for taking some time out of your day to read to my post! If you did, click on the ❤️ button below. See you next week! :)
Sara
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