How many hours do you spend away from the technological screen? You probably spend most of your time on screen,right?Technology is running the world today, and it’s hard to stay away from a smartphone or computer. These devices have become part of us that we feel naked when we’re not around them.

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As much as there are a lot of benefits that come with interacting with technology, getting engaged overly with the digital world is toxic. It’s not good for the brain, and you need a break. Or in other words you need digital detox.

What Is Digital Detox?

Digital detox simply means taking time off from your computer, phone, television, and other technological devices. During that time, you focus on your social life without being distracted by digital devices. During this time, you relieve stress that comes with constant digital connectivity.

Do Digital Detoxes Work?

A digital detox doesn’t get rid of toxins in your body. However, it helps you break from toxic habits of being overly addicted with tech devices. It’s proven that chemical changes occur in your brain when you take time off from digital screens. Breaking from social media obsession helps you to halt from psychological and physiological addiction.

According to Time to Log Off reports, dopamine and oxytocin are the two brain chemicals released when you engage with social media. Your brain releases the two hormones as a result of feeling good. It’s like a mother and child bonding, which makes it harder to quit you digital obsession

But, it doesn’t mean that your brain won’t release the feel good chemicals if you take a break from social media.Instead, a digital detox will help you manage the use of digital devices and you experience better sleep as a result.

Reasons for Digital Detox

According to a poll conducted by the common sense media, 50% of teens recognized they were addicted to the digital world. Another 78% confirmed they check their phones hourly. Indeed, you need to break from technology devices so as to engage in other healthier activities. Here, we look at the reasons you should consider taking a digital detox.

To Recover from Stress

While we feel that we can’t live without phones and computers, research shows these devices actually contribute to stress. In an yearly survey conducted by the American Psychological Associations, 18% of Americans claim that technology is their cause of stress. The feeling that they need to check their emails, social media, and texts make them feel stressed.

Another study by researchers based in Sweden also confirms that massive engagement with technology leads to depressive symptoms, sleeping problems, and increased stress levels.

To Detox from Fear of Missing Out

Fear of missing out, typically known as FOMO, is the fear of missing out on the experiences others are having. The more you’re connected to the internet, you become aware of what people are doing, and you feel like your life is less exciting. You end up overcommitting to social events because you don’t want to miss out on what’s trending or be left behind.

FOMO also makes you feel the urge to continually check your phone to find whether someone sent a text, post, or DM. as it is not a healthy feeling, you need to learn how to live without having to interact with digital devices all the time. This is where digital detox comes in.

To Help You Bounce Back to Self-Contentment

Have you heard of the saying that “comparison can be the thief of joy”? When you’re online for long hours, the people you come across online become part of you. You’ve become the first person to view someone’s post, and over time you feel your life is less fulfilling. What you don’t know is whatever people post online is just a glimpse of their life, and it doesn’t mean that their life is fuller, exciting, or more vibrant. So detoxing from technology will help you realize the essential things in your life and help you be appreciative of your life instead of comparing it with other people.

To Create a Better Relationship with Technology

Going on a digital detox doesn’t mean you’re giving up on technology entirely. Besides, it’s what is running the world currently, so you can’t avoid technology entirely.Digital detox, nonetheless, helps you become independent and develop a better relationship with technology. Staying away from the digital world helps you realize you become a better individual.Ditla detox can help you have the power to choose when to use technology devices and when to avoid them

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Technology Disrupts Your Sleep

This study shows that children who use devices prior to falling asleep have a worse sleep. The heavy use of the internet interferes with the quality and quantity of your sleep. Another study shows that 70% of those who participated checked their social media accounts while in bed. Another 15% spend over an hour, scroll their phones while in bed. The result found that those who spend time on the internet when they should be sleeping experience shorter sleep time, anxiety, and insomnia.

It Helps Overcome Anxiety and Depression

We often use our phones to soothe our anxiety. By using your smartphones and other apps like email, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Messenger and more, your brain increases the release of dopamine. Over time, it becomes challenging to keep away from your phone and instead increase your anxiety. So before the problem becomes hard to break from, conduct a digital detox.

Have you woken up with a good mood only for the mood to turn sour after reading something on your phone? You may have been let down by information sent to you overnight only to receive it first thing after you look at your phone. You don’t have to check your phone, all the time. For instance, if you’re not working on weekends, avoid reading your emails, text or accessing your phone, and use the time to take care of yourself. Focusing on your family and friends can help you feel better than reading world news that is often negative.

Eat better

One study links overeating with watching television – when you focus on TV while eating, you forget how much you’ve eaten and continue overindulging. This behavior is typical in North America such that people continue to increase in the waist area, promoting obesity-related risks such as diabetes 2.

Smartphones, computers, and tablets also fall in the same line in regards to eating better. When you’re on your phone, you become less aware of the food you’re consuming. You lose track of fat and calories you consume, and it becomes challenging to diet or eat healthier food. So consider putting your gadgets away during mealtime.

To Correct Your Mental Health

In an experimental research published by the University of Pennsylvania, the study linked the use of Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat to reduced well-being. The research also shows that when people limit their use of social media, they suffer less from depression, loneliness and other symptoms..

Indeed, heavy use of technology increases the chances of experiencing mental health problems, especially among teens and adolescents. The more you use a phone, your symptoms of ADHD also increase. Other effects include inferior self-regulation and conduct disorder.

Save Some Money

How much do you pay on phone bills? Could the bills be better used if you cut on less important things? It’s easier to exceed the amount of data you set to use monthly, for example when streaming videos on YouTube. On top of that, if several people are using your phone, your bills could rise too. Ultimately, the more time you spend on the phone, the more you find things to do and spend money on.

Guess where else you’ll spend more money – e-commerce platforms. Almost every business has an e-commerce platform. This increases your chances of spending money on something you come across online, even without necessarily needing it. So if you’re not careful with managing your finances, you’ll end up spending money on things that you can live without.

To Mend Next Generation Thinking

Every parent dreams of their children being physically and mentally healthy. This way, children can think of their place in the world and work towards achieving their goals. However, if you spend more time on the phone, your children will imitate you as you’re their first role model. The worst comes in when your children become obsessed with social media, don’t engage in physical activities, and have broken personal relationships.

To mend this, you should use technology correctly so that your children can imitate and continually spread the same behavior to the next generation. A digital detox will help you become less reliant on technology, and this is a value your children will pick.

Even when on vacation you probably check your emails and address job issues. Instead of enjoying your time on a beach, you’re constantly scrolling your phone and calling your boss or employees. Typically, there is no boundary between your work and life.

In a study published in Applied Research in Quality of Life, it is clear that technology plays a huge role in determining how you balance work and personal life. The research also shows that digital engagement influences job satisfaction, feeling of overwork, and job stress. Thus, a digital detox may help you create a healthier stress-free work and life balance.

Break From the Addiction

Sure, you can listen to music, find a parking spot, order food, gather wealthy information from wherever you are, and do much more with a phone. You can basically do everything using a digital device. If, for example, you don’t know how to drink water, you can get that information to your fingertips by googling the question. It’s no wonder why most people feel they can’t live without their phones for several hours.

But, breaking from phone addiction comes with its advantages. The feeling of needing a phone subsides, and you become accustomed to living without one. Although it won’t be easy, you’ll start feeling more relaxed. Anxiety and depression will fade away, and you’ll begin realizing things you might have missed to see. What’s more, you’ll fall asleep better.

Do I Need a Digital Detox?

The answer to this question is either yes or no, depending on the answer you give to various questions. For example, how long do you spend on a phone or laptop? How do you behave when the internet goes down? If you spend long hours with a technology device and get frustrated when the internet goes down, you probably need a digital detox. Answer some more questions and find whether you need a break from the technology world.

How Long Should a Digital Detox Take?

The thought of digital detox is overwhelming, especially for those that feel they can’t do without a phone. For those that feel they must detox, the feeling is intimidating but tempting as they want to release themselves from an addiction to the internet. Whichever group you belong to, take your detox journey easy. For example, start with half a day or 24 hours. For some people, this is enough time to de-stress. Consider going to a place with no Wi-Fi or taking a walk without the company of your phone. Try digital detox every chance you get.

Technology has many advantages, but it also has its disadvantages. If you find yourself addicted to the phone or if you work with a technology device, it’s alright to take a break. Try digital detox, and it could be what your body needs. Why not leave your phone at home and come and join us in Costa Rica at our yoga and rainforest retreat, to get away from all the modern-day noise and recharge.