Let’s face it: screens are everywhere. You use them constantly for work, entertainment and even as your news source. While digital devices help solve many of life’s problems, they can often create issues of their own. Excessive screen time can cause sleep troubles, increase stress levels and steal your valuable attention when you need it most.
Sometimes, you just need to hit pause, close that browser window and reset.
Learn how to unplug and unwind with these practical tips. And to enhance your digital detox, consider one secret weapon that can combat tech-related stress and tension: CBD.
What Is a Digital Detox?
Traditional detoxes are intended to help you rid your body of harmful “toxins,” often by changing your diet, drinking water and exercising. These detox trends come and go; some swear by them, while others leave the detoxing to their bodies, which already do a good job of it.
One detox that most people agree offers real benefits, though? A digital detox.
Several research studies and surveys have identified technology use as a major source of stress and friction in people’s lives:
- 18% of U.S. adults (a fifth of the adult population) say that technology contributes heavily to their stress levels.
- Half of U.S. teens feel that they have an unhealthy attachment to their mobile electronic devices.
Some digital detoxes involve unplugging from your digital devices, including cell phones, computers and TVs. Others focus on limiting social media use and other digital media content consumption. No matter the method to your digital detoxification, all digital detoxers understand that a step back from the digital world means a leap toward healthier habits.
Signs You Need to Unplug
Stuck in an endless doom scroll? Eyes aching from intense blue light exposure? You might need to take a digital detox.
But how do you really know when to power down your electronic devices and hide your TV remote? Here are some strong indications that you need a break from the digital world:
- You aren’t sleeping well – Blue light exposure and late-night screen sessions can disrupt your natural sleep-wake cycle. Research shows that blue light from digital screens can lower your body’s melatonin, an important hormone for restful sleep. Additionally, ending your day by engaging on social media apps can impact your mood and shorten sleep duration.
- You feel overly stressed – The constant stimulation from online content can easily overwhelm you if you engage with it too often. Having uninterrupted access to other people through texting and social media can also lead to unpleasant emotions like FOMO (fear of missing out) and negative self-worth, making it difficult to maintain a positive mindset day to day. Mix that in with your other life stressors and you have a recipe for digital disaster.
- You can’t focus at work – Digital distractions don’t only impact your personal life — they can disrupt your work, too. If you use the same devices for both work and play, a tempting push notification can quickly steal your attention away from an important meeting or presentation prep session. You might even find yourself dedicating your breaks at work to scrolling through your social media apps, rather than using the time for a mental reset.
- You feel compelled to check your devices constantly – If you need to refresh your email every few minutes, repeatedly check the likes and comments on your social media posts or binge the newest episodes of your favorite TV show the second they drop, it’s probably time for a tech detox.
Benefits of Digital Detoxes
It’s clear that excessive technology use can lead to unhealthy behavior, but how does a digital detox help?
While it seems simple, a conscious break from social media sites and digital devices can reset your routine and help you develop better habits, increasing productivityoverall. In fact, many people who complete a digital detox experience:
- Better work-life balance
- Stronger focus
- Improved mood
- More restful sleep
- Less insecurity and FOMO
Put simply, you have so much to gain when you give up your connections to the digital world. So, how do you build the best detox to maximize these benefits?
How to Take a Digital Detox
Unlike juice cleanses and other detox trends, digital detoxes look different for each participant. Some digital detoxers choose to limit their technology use completely, while others may only target a few key stressors.
Additionally, quitting tech use cold turkey won’t work for everyone — for people who need their devices for work or other communication, it’s not even possible. To that end, let’s look at a few realistic and achievable digital detox methods that can help support an effective reset:
- Set time limits – Time limits can work in multiple ways. You can cut off all device use before bedtime, create designated device-less times during the work day or set limits for specific apps and online activities.
- Turn off push notifications – Push notifications often distract people the most, so consider turning off notifications for specific apps and social media sites or altogether. You can also enable “silent” or background notifications so your device doesn’t light up, beep or buzz when they arrive.
- Delete distracting apps – Some people can connect their unhealthy tech behaviors to a single app. If that’s the case, consider deleting it from your devices.
You can also pick the desired duration of your digital detox — try it for a few days, a week or choose a day each week to unplug. Distract yourself by picking up new healthy habits to replace your screen time, whether it's reading or exploring the benefits of outdoor exercise. After a while, you may find that parts of your detox become fixtures of your normal routine.
Incorporating CBD into Your Digital Detox
Cannabidiol or CBD comes from the Cannabis sativa L. plant. It’s known for its soothing properties that benefit both body and mind. Unlike THC, CBD produces no psychoactive effects, allowing you to feel calm without feeling high.
CBD can take the edge off if detaching from your digital devices makes you feel nervous. Or you can use CBD to enhance the tech-free relaxation you’re already experiencing.
CBD may offer many of the same benefits as a digital detox, including:
- Enhanced relaxation
- Uplifted mood
- Sleep support
CBD rubs and balms can also help if you experience joint and muscle stiffness from hunching over your computer — another unfortunate consequence of excessive screen time.
However you decide to unplug, remember that CBD can help you unwind and settle into your tech detox.
Enhance Your Digital Detox with Zebra CBD
Digital detoxes work best when you individualize them to your needs. Make Zebra CBD part of your detox for added relaxation and sleep benefits.
Our CBD products stand out: we enhance our hemp pills, CBD topicals, CBD hemp oil for sale, and CBD gummies for salewith other natural ingredients like Lemon Balm and magnesium to boost mood and relieve tension. You can even DIY a CBD coffee for energy or CBD tea for relaxation by adding our CBD oil to your daily drink.
Additionally, we lead the industry as the only CBD company with a Label Accuracy Guarantee™. By choosing Zebra CBD, you’re choosing trustworthy, U.S.-made products and premium quality. Browse our condition-specific CBD products now (before you power down your devices).
Learn all about CBD, from how it can help you unplug and unwind during a digital detox to the ins and outs of traveling with CBD internationally. Shop and read with Zebra CBD today!
Source:
- Verywell Mind. How to Do a Digital Detox. https://www.verywellmind.com/why-and-how-to-do-a-digital-detox-4771321
- Harvard Health Publishing. Blue light has a dark side. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side
