Digital Detox – a conscious decision for the most relaxing holidays

Daily screen time has increased significantly. Whether it is planning for a holiday, scrolling social media or shopping online. Are these small technical devices that operate like small computers always on you? Or are you ready to take a break – a digital detox, to fully be present in the moment, in the new country?

In this blog post, I will give you multiple reasons why a digital detox (vacation) should be on your bucket list. Underpinned by scientific studies on the impact of technical devices on daily life.

1. Consequences of smartphone addictions

Most of you use your phone for social media apps. And social media is designed to be addictive. For instance, the color usage, red for notifications, indicates importance. Aza Raskin, a Silicon Valley Designer, makes a statement in a BBC interview: Imagine a soup bowl that silently refills itself, so people eat a lot more because they don’t feel like they’re done. He says that it is the same with the endless scrolling. There is no end and people consume a lot more. This makes it even harder to put the phone down or even consider a digital detox.

Another study shows that mental health problems such as social anxiety and depression are associated with smartphone addiction. As well as physical health, sleep quality and sedentary lifestyle, the risk of accidents and neurological problems. An interesting finding of the study is that women are more prone to smartphone addiction than men.

A Harvard study describes the production of dopamine in the context of using social media. Programmers use psychological insights into dopamine-driven learning to keep users behind the screen.

2. Are smartphones the cause of loneliness 

How often has technology helped you to be connected with family and friends, to feel less lonely in foreign countries? Those days were you just want to hear a familiar voice, talk in your mother tongue or rant about your bad day. The internet made it possible to connect to your love once and thus contributed to your overall wellbeing.
But the same time technology that helped you so much is also dangerous, it can contribute to social isolation. A study shows that the co-present of mobile phones in real life conversations lowers the quality of the conversation. Which further makes difficult to establish a deep emotional connection with others. Leading to less and less meaningful friendship and ultimately can attribute to loneliness.
An article at Forbes states it is up to you on how much power you give technology to your life.
The increasing loneliness in the western world has additional causes, such as individualism, the constant changes.
Whenever you can, it is the best to withdraw from the usage of technical devices while you are with other people.

3. Smartphone usage – Your ultimate distraction

Using the phone as a distraction. This study points out that smartphone addicts often use their device to avoid silent confrontation with our own unexplored thoughts. It uses an example of driving while using GPS technology, but ignoring your own sense of direction.

The question you could ask yourself is your truth to yourself. Are you listing to this inner voice (maybe it’s telling you to do digital detox 😜). Truthfully, whenever you are on social media, consuming news, texting or liking pictures, is this how you want spent your afternoon your evenings? Or do you want to sit in silence and listen to yourself, because you deserve it? Let all the emotions come up that come up, even if you tried to push them done. No one on social media will give you this sustainable validation you are looking for. Only yourself can start love and validate yourself.

4. The benefits of a Digital Detox

In June 2019, I did a huge digital detox for one week or even longer. I remember the feeling after completing it. So totally relaxed. Honestly, I can’t remember a time after a holiday I was more relaxed. I enjoyed this time in nature without technology a lot.
But only because I was super relaxed it doesn’t mean it is the ultimate truth. So let’s look at a few studies. For instance, excessive screen-time seems to damage brain structure. The major damage occurs in the frontal lobe, the area of the brain where significant changes happen starting at puberty until the mid-twenties.
The mere presence of your phone, it doesn’t matter if it’s turned around or turned off, can reduce your cognitive capacity.
A case study in Sweden documented the holidays of participants in a 72 hour cabin. The results are astonishing: reduced stress levels by 70%, blood pressure and heart rate decrease, decrease in anxiety and increased connectedness to nature and an increase in creativity. 

A digital detox can also reduce procrastination and increase your life satisfaction. 

If you want to learn more about the benefits of digital detox and the drawbacks of screen time, check out this website: https://unplugged.rest/blog/science/digital-detox-fact-sheet

Did these points convince you to do a digital detox? But you have no idea how to start. This article will help you to find the right trip for your digital detox.