Dr. Mark Hyman, MD writes how our use of digital technology has a big impact on both our physical and mental health. However, there are ways that you can include a “digital detox” into your daily life in order to get back your health.

Hyman notes that there are a lot of health effects that occur from overuse of technology.  These include:

  • ADHD
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Social isolation and feeling lonely.
  • A sedentary lifestyle which leads to an increased risk of diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.
  • Sleep disturbance issues.

Another important factor to consider is that humans are social creatures, and we need

face-to-face interactions with other people. It’s how our species works.  Without that social connection, we become disconnected from others. Additionally, the physical component of this problem is important too, as human beings are meant to move around. When we stay sedentary our bodies are directly impacted.

Dr. Hyman has several ideas though for us to disconnect from our phones, computers, and TVs and begin to reconnect with the real world. These include:

  • Using a timer to manage how much time you spend online. Once the timer goes off, step away from your computer, get up, and move around. This helps manage your digital work into chunks of time versus one long marathon.

 

  • Put your cell phone on silent mode and put it in your pocket. It helps to have a block of time where you are not disrupted by constant text, email, or messaging notifications.

 

  • Stop watching television. Try to go a week without watching TV and see what a difference it makes. Hyman calls TV a “time suck” that keeps us from doing things we like to do.

 

  • Get moving and exercise! Dr. Hyman recommends finding something that’s physically active that you enjoy doing.

Want to learn more about taking a daily “digital detox?” You can read the full article here:  Do You Need a Digital Detox?