A Beginner's Guide to a Digital Detox

There are certainly perks when it comes to having a world that is more interconnected than ever, but with that also comes increased stress. The stress may manifest in different ways for different people. For some, it may be the news and the constant updates on world affairs and politics. For others, it could be social media feeds showing you the same mean girl from high school (who totally isn’t doing any better in life than you right now) over and over and over again. No matter what the stressor is, though, if it proves to be enough of a disruption, then it could be an indicator that you are in need of a digital detox. 

What is a Digital Detox?

A digital detox is essentially exactly what it sounds like, a period of time in which one refrains from using their devices such as smart phones, tablets, and TVs in order to focus more on what is happening in their day-to-day lives without the interference of incessant pop-ups and notifications. This often allows for the opportunity to delegate time to other activities or hobbies we may have let slide in favor of the never-ending doom-scroll we can find ourselves stuck in on social media. 

Why Bother?

When everything seems to be so reliant on being digital, it may seem like an endeavor in futility to try and avoid it. Even some of our hobbies have become digitized thanks to ereaders like the Kindle, so taking a step back may seem less and less feasible. There is substantial evidence to suggest that taking the time to avoid your screens and devices, even briefly, may be beneficial. 

Screen Time’s Ties to Stress

It is no secret at this point that prolonged exposure to screens and to blue light is not necessarily the best thing for you, but it is beginning to seem like the everpresent technology can affect stress levels as well. For instance, the 2017 Stress in America survey conducted by the American Psychological Association found figures such as:

• 86% of Americans report they often, or constantly, check emails, texts, and social media accounts

• Those labeled as “checkers” report an average stress level of 5.3  compared to their non-constant checking counterparts reporting an average of 4.4 when measured on a scale of 1-10

• 45% of Millennials report feeling disconnected from family, even when together, as a result of technology

• Employed Americans who constantly check work emails on non-workdays report their overall stress levels at 6.0

• 65% of Americans agree that periodically taking a digital detox is important for mental health, but only 28% report actually doing so

Even if you wouldn’t classify yourself as someone who constantly checks in on texts, emails, social media, etc., there is some credence to the fact that taking a step away from your devices may do you some good as the figures still show some evidence of the link between stress and interacting with these devices. Device use before bed has also been linked to an increase in likelihood of anxiety, insomnia, and short sleep duration, which can exacerbate feelings of stress even further. 

Mental Health Concerns 

There are a myriad of reasons why frequent use of personal devices have been maligned by the general public, and with good reason it seems. Namely observed in adolescents, one argument notes the idea of the “displacement hypothesis.” This suggests that time online effectively “displaces” time that could otherwise be spent interacting face-to-face with others in more conventional social interactions, which ultimately emphasizes feelings of loneliness and isolation. 

The US Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, issued an advisory in 2023 to these same concerns, and in the advisory highlighted research findings to substantiate the claims. While these concerns are most often linked to adolescents, studies reveal the negative impacts of social media use, specifically, among various age groups. In a study of 14-year-olds, it was found that those who had greater social media use were predicted to face, “poor sleep, online harassment, poor body image, low self-esteem, and higher depressive symptom scores with a larger association for girls than boys.”  In college-aged young adults, too, it was found that limiting social-media use to only half an hour per day led to over a 35% increase in depression scores as well as self-reports of happiness, life satisfaction, depression, and anxiety showing improvements between 25-40%. 

How Can I Start?

Making the conscious effort to step away from your screens is much easier said than done, especially when it seems like day-to-day life revolves around them. Taking small steps and each day as it comes may be a good way to start, though. 

Limiting your screen time (outside of necessary tasks, work, school, etc.) through use of time management apps can be a great first step to your digital detox. Setting a strict and specific time limit on apps like Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, etc. can help curb the urge to endlessly doomscroll and engage even more with the different algorithms at play in these apps. Time management apps do not have to act alone either as implementing a self-imposed time window in which you can use your devices may be beneficial as well. For instance, no devices before 8am and with a “curfew” of 10pm where you do not use your personal devices. 

Key Takeaways

As silly as it may sound, taking a digital detox is a big deal. When most people choose to communicate over text or even via Instagram DM, there’s a very real sense of feeling like you’ll miss something if your phone isn’t attached to your hip. While several studies have shown that this generally serves to affect us negatively, it can still prove to be a major roadblock when it comes to choosing better habits and activities for ourselves. Making the continuous effort to make these changes, though, can be instrumental in positively affecting your own mental and physical well-being. Roma wasn’t built in a day, though, so allow yourself some grace even if the first few attempts at a detox aren’t 100% perfect.