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Digital Detox: Why Switching Off Will Save Your Sleep, Mood, and Sanity
**Disclaimer: some of the products I mention in this post are affiliate links, but I 100% use them every day and can truly vouch for their quality
It’s funny that a digital detox is now a wellness practice. Cafés with no Wi-Fi, retreats with phone bans, and holidays where screens are prohibited. But when you consider how our devices dominate our lives, it’s not so crazy.
Our phone has become our diary, entertainment, work, and news. It’s the first thing we check in the morning and the last thing we see before bed.
Waiting in line at the supermarket? We check it.
Sitting in the doctor’s office? We check it.
Even at the playground with our kids. We are glued to the screen.
And our brains are paying the price.
2020
In 2020, our average attention span was eight seconds. Today, it’s two. That’s why social media and news feeds are fighting to serve us up faster and more sensational content - to capture our dwindling attention.
It's also why social media hooks need to grab us instantly or we scroll past. The resulting flood of information means our minds are never quiet.
What Screens Are Really Doing to Us
It‘s not just too much scrolling. Research shows screens affect health on multiple levels:
Sleep disruption: Blue light from screens suppresses melatonin, the hormone that helps us fall asleep. Even dim light at night has been linked to higher rates of depression.
Mental health impact: A large US study found children and adolescents who used screens more than four hours a day had much higher odds of depression and anxiety. Adults are affected too, with screen use before bed linked to lower mood, irritability, and more stress.
The vicious cycle: Poor sleep caused by screens leads to worse mood, poor concentration, and higher reactivity. That stress makes us scroll more, which further disrupts sleep.
So, if you’ve been feeling flat, anxious, or foggy, it may not just be life stress. Screens could be playing a bigger role than you realise.
Body effects: Chronic lack of deep sleep does not just hurt the mind. It weakens immunity, raises the risk of weight gain, and leaves us permanently tired but wired. Sleep is such an important aspect of health that I‘ve written a whole guide for it.
So, if you’ve been feeling flat, anxious, or foggy, it may not just be life stress. Screens could be playing a bigger role than you realise.
Why Do We Need a Digital Detox?
A digital detox is simply a break from the constant pull of screens and notifications. It’s a chance to let our nervous system reset and our attention expand again. Without real pauses, our brain is always in “input mode,” which makes us restless and distracted.
Taking time away from screens lowers stress, improves sleep, and helps us reconnect with the people and the world around us.
And it does not have to be complicated.
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A digital detox can be as small as not looking at your phone before bed.
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Or it can be bigger – like spending a weekend without Wi-Fi. It can be whatever you need it to be. The point is to create space where your mind can finally breathe.
My Own Digital Detox
In 2023, I went to a yoga retreat in the Cévennes in the south of France with two friends. On the very first day, our phones were taken away. At first, it felt a bit extreme. But honestly, it was one of the best experiences of my life.
Yoga, hiking in the mountains, swimming in rivers, all without that nagging need to check something. I did not miss my phone once. My husband had the teacher’s number in case of emergencies, and that was enough.
At the end of the retreat, when we were reunited with our phones, I found myself not wanting to switch mine on straight away. I waited until I had said goodbye to my friends.
That peace, that presence, it stayed with me for weeks.If you ever get the chance to do a retreat without phones, take it. Or even try a holiday without devices if you have the willpower. The freedom is addictive. If you’re curious, just search for “phone free yoga retreat” and you’ll find plenty of options.
Bringing Digital Detox Into Daily Life
The good news is you don’t need a retreat in the mountains to feel the benefits. Small habits at home can make a huge difference.
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No phones in the bedroom: This is a rule in our house. Bedrooms should be for rest, not late night scrolling. It might not seem like much, but leaving your phone outside the bedroom is one of the most powerful detoxes you can do. It protects your sleep, keeps your mind calm, and helps you start and end the day without distraction.
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Turn off Wi-Fi at night: Ours switches off automatically at 10pm. Simple but effective, and no temptation to scroll.
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Switch your lighting: Swap your usual bedside lamp for a Blue Light Blocking Lamp. It emits pure red light, completely free from blue and green wavelengths, so it will not interfere with melatonin production. That means less eye strain and better sleep.
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Create phone free zones: Meals, morning coffee, walks. Pick moments where your phone does not come along. Even short breaks help your brain unwind.
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Replace scrolling with something soothing: Keep a book, a journal, or even a puzzle by the sofa or your bed so that when you reach for your phone, you have something else to do instead. It’s much easier when the Wi-Fi automatically turns off.
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Tech-free mornings: Start the day with something nourishing like stretching, a walk, or even just making your coffee in peace before checking messages. Those first minutes are the ‘rudder of the day’ - they set the tone.
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Use blue light blockers: Tools like Ocushield, a medical grade blue light screen protector, reduces the effect of screen light on your eyes, protecting your melatonin levels if you have to work late or scroll in the evening. All my devices have Ocushield protectors. Blue light blocking glasses can help too.
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Mini detoxes: Try a Sunday without screens, or even just a few hours each evening. Your nervous system will thank you.
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Notifications off: Turn off non-essential alerts. Constant pings train your brain to expect interruption, which feeds stress. I‘ve personally removed notifications on my phone except for one — when I make a sale for my business. My kids laugh and say “maman is making money” every time they hear the little cling. Otherwise, even my WhatsApp is silent.
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No ‘multiphoning’: No phone while watching TV, no TV while eating. It sounds simple, but it helps your brain focus and engage with one thing fully.
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Detox baths: A digital detox is not only about putting the phone down, it’salso about helping the body unwind. One a week, generally on Fridays, I take a bath. I use the EMF Wave Detox Bath Blend from The Clay Cure, which has green clay, volcanic zeolite, and Epsom salts. The clay and zeolite are known for their ability to draw out impurities and help the body feel more grounded, while the Epsom salts relax tired muscles and support the nervous system. Together they make the bath feel soothing and leave me calmer, almost like I’ve pressed the reset button. You can take a long soak if you have time, or just a quick foot soak or scrub.
A digital detox is not about rejecting technology. It’s about remembering that we’re in charge of our devices, not the other way around.
Even small changes like turning off Wi-Fi, using a screen filter, or creating phone-free moments can bring back calm, clarity, and focus.
Disconnecting is not missing out. It’s reconnecting with yourself,your family, andthe little things that matter.
And, if you know a special place in the world that’s phone free, whether a retreat, café, or a hidden spot where you feel present, I would love to hear about it. Send me a message and let me know, I am always curious to discover new digital detox havens!