Digital Health Detox: How Taking Breaks from Screens Rebalances Your Body and Mind
Verified By
KIMS-SUNSHINE
Specialist,
30 October, 2025
Screens are everywhere these days- we have a laptop, a tab, a phone, a TV and we are all feverishly multitasking always- like our lives depend on it.While it may seem super cool and we may feel invincible when we get so much of stuff done, with just a few taps or clicks, it is easy to ignore how stressed or overwhelmed we may actually be feeling. Let us understand why you may need to detox from screens in the first place.
What Is A Digital Detox?
A detox literally means you know you have had too much of something which is not good for your body and you make a conscious effort to stop doing it, so as to avoid any more damage to your body and health. A digital detox is hence a fancy way of saying – I will go screenfree today, or for a few hours or for a weekend or however long I may need, to feel better.
Effects Of Screen Time On Mental Health
Studies have shown that we Indians tend to use our phones or screens for anywhere between 5-8 hours per day- and that is just to browse for information, go on social media websites, post, to stream videos or even play games. Now, that is almost 1/3rd of a day, in terms of hours spent- or maybe slightly lesser and it is almost 40% of the time you spend being awake, too! Now, let us learn why a digital detox becomes necessary in this world
- Most of us love our shows or dramas too much and hence prefer to stuff our faces while the TV is on- this also means that we won’t know what is on our plate or how much we are eating and we may end up overeating. If this continues for a long time, you may gain more weight than usual. This can influence how your metabolism works too, in the long term.
- People may complain of intense headaches and eye strain related issues.
- Studies have also shown that being on a screen all day messes with the circadian rhythm and may force the brain to think that you need to stay up for longer- thus making less melatonin than usual, or at the wrong time. So, you may find it pretty hard to fall asleep on a regular schedule.
- There is something called tech neck- which is a unique condition that most of us in the digital age face- where we hunch our shoulders and tense our necks and keep peering downwards – at a screen. This can cause neck and back related issues, mess with posture and cause nerve compression too, in severe cases.
- With social media usage on the rise, everyone wants to be connected, all the time. This means notifications are always on, there is greater stress, anxiety and possibly depression too.
- We are not social anymore and prefer to just stare at a screen, as there is no need to talk to someone then. But sadly, humans are not built to live alone. We need connection and we are social beings.
Digital Detox Tips For Better Sleep
Follow the no screens in the bedroom rule and you will be mostly golden. Limit screen usage in the evening and try to wind down by doing something other than watching a drama which may end at a cliffhanger and leave you feeling stressed actually.
Conclusion
There is nothing wrong in doing a digital detox – there is no need to feel guilty or feel like you are missing out on something- because let’s face it- the world will go on and life will go on. You probably won’t be able to see minute by minute updates of what people are up to and you may miss a few interesting reels- but in the grand scheme of things, isn’t it better to just take some much needed me-time? Doing a digital detox on a weekend can involve you going away to a spot where there is no network or setting realistic goals- where you go gadget or screen free for an hour daily. Understand which apps are especially addictive and limit usage on a daily basis. Tell others how you feel when you are away from annoying notifications or a constant onslaught of information and others will try it too, or at least may be tempted to.
