By Jeanni Ritchie
Most of us don’t just use our phones anymore. We live on them.
Our calendars, conversations, work, entertainment, and social lives all exist behind a screen we carry in our pockets. Technology keeps us connected and productive, but without realizing it, it can also leave us overstimulated, distracted, anxious, and mentally exhausted.
That’s where the idea of a digital detox comes in.
A digital detox simply means intentionally stepping away from screens, social media, notifications, or constant online input for a period of time. It doesn’t have to mean disappearing into the woods for a month without Wi-Fi. Sometimes it looks as simple as silencing notifications for an evening, putting the phone down during dinner, taking a social media break for a weekend, or choosing rest over endless scrolling.
Mental health experts often point to digital overload as a contributor to stress, poor sleep, shortened attention spans, emotional burnout, and comparison culture. Our brains were never designed to process nonstop information twenty-four hours a day.
Ironically, technology often fills the quiet moments that used to help us recharge.
We stand in line and scroll. Sit in waiting rooms and scroll. Watch TV while scrolling. Wake up and immediately check notifications before our feet ever hit the floor. Many of us have forgotten what it feels like to simply sit still with our own thoughts.
I hate sitting still.
But the benefits of a digital detox on mental health are undeniable.
People often report feeling calmer, more focused, rested, and present after stepping away from constant online stimulation. Sleep can improve when blue light and late-night scrolling are reduced. Relationships improve when conversations aren’t competing with screens. Even creativity tends to return when the mind finally has room to breathe.
That doesn’t mean it’s easy.
I myself am a multitasker. I do 90% of my work on my phone. Creating content, writing in my notes app, researching stories… I’m as connected to my phone as a preteen on Christmas morning.
So I make mini-adjustments: ringer on silent most of the time, phone facedown during conversations, scrolling limitations.
While these are daily boundaries regarding screen time, I’ve also taken full breaks from technology, like “confiscated” phones during spiritual retreats—a sacrifice turned blessing—and opting not to add the Wi-Fi package to a recent cruise.
Taking a break from technology can feel surprisingly uncomfortable at first. Silence feels unfamiliar when we’ve trained ourselves to constantly consume noise. The what ifs run rampant in our minds, justifying our tetheredness to technology.
But the benefits of short detoxes far outweigh the initial unease. Being fully present heightens the senses and calms the nervous system. Removing the expectation of constant accessibility—both to and from you—develops patience and greater autonomy.
Unplugging—even briefly—can feel like a reset for the mind, body, and soul.
A digital detox doesn’t have to be dramatic to be meaningful. Small moments of quiet, rest, boundaries, and intentional disconnection can greatly improve mental health.
