How To Disconnect From The Digital World And Re-Engage With The Real World

Introduction

It has become extremely challenging to put your phone down. Not only are most people working in front of a screen all day, but most do it at home too – many go home after work and sit in front of the TV and/or browse their phone.

There’s no denying that we live a digitalized life. Over 80% of the population owns a mobile device, and 57% of them have more than one type of device.

Not only are our electronic devices connected to the internet, but it is also in our car, the fridge, our watch, our games, and even our home. This omnipresence of technology begs the question, how can we free ourselves from an addiction to the digital world?

Here is a link to a short questionnaire that will give you an idea of your relationship with technology. While this is not a scientific survey, it can give you an idea of your relationship with the digital world.

Download Technology Relationship Questionnaire

Whether you want to completely break up with social media or develop a healthier relationship with technology, this report is here to help you positively change your behaviours.

This report will help you reconnect with your life, and after reading it:

1. You’ll be able to recognize the actions that affect your physical and mental health and learn how you can adopt more effective habits to be happier.
2. You’ll learn about the current state of the digital world, and what its impact is on your physical and mental health.
3. We will explore how you can adopt more positive behaviours with technology while finding a way to reconnect with yourself.
4. And the last part of this guide is a 21-day plan that will help you break up with technology for good.

But first, let’s look at the history and current state of our digital life.

The History And Current State Of Our Digital Life

Technology has been changing our lives for years, but it hasn’t always been for the best.

For example, there is a fantastic advancement in the area of health care where people can walk again or communicate with the assistance of technology, but on the other hand, technology can also limit us, especially when we become addicted to it.

The History

While the telephone was first patented in the 1870s, it moved from being a landline to mobile much later in history.

It is hard to believe that the handheld mobile phone was mass-produced less than 50 years ago, in 1973.

And so much has changed since.

Texting came about 20 years later (1992), and the iPhone was launched in 2007.

And with the ubiquity of smartphones, it is so easy to forget how life was before they were so readily available.

Another technology that is relatively young in history is the Internet, which became public on 6 August 1991, which is less than 30 years ago. It has been with us ever since, with increased speeds every year for most people, and it’s no longer only accessible via computers.

The Current State

It doesn’t matter where you live in the world; screen time is becoming a global issue.

Over 45% of the world population has a smartphone (which is around 3.5 billion people), and this represents an increase of around 30% since 2016, which is a mere four years ago as I write this.

The screen time worldwide is, on average, 6 hours and 42 minutes per day, with no significant difference between gender.

In research done in the UK, 99% of children between the ages of 12 – 15 are online and have an average screen time of 21 hours per week.

While the World Health Organization (WHO) provided some guidelines for screen time and children, there are no guidelines that exist for adults – so it is up to us to decide what we believe is an appropriate time we can spend online.

And it is probably only a matter of time before the government starts publishing recommendations for health concerning screen time.

The next chapters will provide you with more information about the impact on your health, focusing on both physical and mental health and how it can be affected by our screen time.

The Digital Impact On Your Body

A group of studies is starting to demonstrate the impact of technology on our bodies, although we are currently very limited in the knowledge and research about the long-term effects of technology.

As people age with social media and wireless technology, we will likely make more discoveries that change our relationship with the digital world.

For now, though, here are a few known issues.

Obesity

Unsurprisingly, obesity and screen time are connected.

A large study of over 90,000 participants concluded that independent of physical activity, it was observed that obesity and screen time are positively correlated.

A longitudinal study showed that 60% of overweight incidence in their study was attributable to excess television viewing.

Vision

Another impact on our physical health is our vision.

A growing body of research indicates that around 50% of the population will experience Digital Eye Strain (DES).

DES is a syndrome that causes a person to have various symptoms like sore, dry, tired, burning, or itching eyes, headaches, sore neck, or even a difficulty keeping your eyes open.

It can undoubtedly be treated, but no studies demonstrate the long-term impact on our vision.

Posture

Screen time can also affect your posture.

A study by Harvard, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Microsoft show that spending too much time on small devices like a phone can strain muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments, and spinal discs.

You can read more about posture here.

Sleep

Finally, one of the most prevalent physical health impacts of too much screen time is the lack of quality sleep.

Research has now demonstrated that the screen light (called blue light) of our device can stimulate the cells in our eyes and reset our internal clock, which controls our circadian rhythm.

Not only does this affect our sleep, but it could also cause some health issues since circadian rhythm issues are connected to cancer, metabolism issues, and cognitive dysfunctions.

Since sleep is a big challenge for many people, the next chapter will provide you with tips on how you can improve your bedtime routine and get more sleep every night.

Learn To Sleep Again

As a result of increased screen time, the body tends to delay the production of melatonin, a vital hormone that regulates our sleep (amongst other functions).

Over time, that sleep deprivation can lead to something more severe, like mood disorders, obesity, or depression.

To improve your sleep, here are a few recommendations that you can implement in your bedtime routine to increase your chance of good night’s sleep.

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