Setting time aside to spend away from the constant flow of information on technology is great for mental health, it can really work wonders.
Studies show the more you use your mobile the more likely you are to suffer from anxiety and researchers have found strong links between social media usage and depression. The final straw is that tech is messing up our sleep cycles, making a good night’s sleep even more difficult to achieve.
Ed Sheeran has recently ditched his mobile phone completely and conducts his affairs through emails which he finds much less stressful.
Recently featuring in carpool karaoke, the star explains why he has given up his phone to James Corden.
“I’d wake up in the morning and there’d be like 50 messages and none said hey how are you, they just said can I have this etc…” After ditching his phone, Sheeran now has a much less stressful start to the day.
It’s not surprising that being in a constant loop of an enormous amount of information and data shifting between so many different channels raises the stress hormone cortisol.
The Digital Detox
Ditching technology altogether is near impossible in the digital age, we suggest setting aside tech-free time each day to properly wind down, away from all the information on our phones or computer.
Additionally, avoiding your phone before bed is a good idea. Blue light can disturb your cardiac rhythm while social media can stimulate the brain, evoke anxiety and generally not put you in the calm mood needed for sleep.
This goes for as soon as you get up too. Waking up to a list of notifications from the night before can quickly raise stress levels, which isn’t the best way to start the day.
The Benefits
These three steps will not only help you sleep better, but they’ll reduce your overall anxiety levels which have a plethora of both physical and mental benefits. You’ll be able to focus more, have better levels of cognitive function and improved mood.
Stepping away from tech, even if it is only for a short time a day is a great habit to get into!
