When I told my Gen Z son that I took the TV out of my bedroom and stopped bringing my iPad and iPhone to bed, he gasped like I had just lost my mind.
“That’s stupid,” he said. “I couldn’t do that.” He wasn’t calling me stupid, and no, I didn’t take offense. That’s just Gen Z honesty. Once I explained why I did it, he understood—still swore he couldn’t do it, though.
Honestly, I wasn’t shocked. His generation was raised with a device in hand. But for me?
I’m in a season of choosing presence over pressure.
Of putting my peace before pixels.
And what started as a small boundary became a powerful shift. I sleep better. I move more. I feel alive again. That’s the beauty of digital detoxing—it’s not about restriction, it’s about returning. To your breath. To your body. To your Self.
Let’s talk about what really happens when we unplug—and why more of us are doing it.
Why We’re All Craving a Digital Detox
We live in a world that never powers down. News alerts. DMs. Group chats. Emails. Streaming. It’s nonstop. We’re constantly plugged in, but often drained.
And while tech connects us in beautiful ways, it can also become a barrier—to rest, to clarity, and to connection with the people right in front of us.
That’s why more people—from Gen Z to Boomers—are starting to pull back. Even celebrities like Ed Sheeran and Selena Gomez have stepped back from digital life to protect their peace. To pause. To question: “What am I missing while I’m staring at this screen?”
Turns out, the answer is: a lot.
The Mental, Physical, and Emotional Perks of Unplugging
Let’s not sugarcoat it—devices are addictive by design. Every ping is a hit of dopamine.
Every scroll is a distraction from presence.
But when we take intentional breaks from the digital world, the benefits ripple through every part of our lives:
1. Deep, Restorative Sleep
Our screens, especially before bed, hijack our sleep cycles. Blue light messes with melatonin production, making it harder to fall and stay asleep. And as you age, the body’s ability to produce melatonin decreases. When you ditch the devices at night, you’re giving your body a chance to reset naturally. That kind of deep rest is where real healing—mental and physical—happens.
2. Clearer Eyes, Calmer Minds
Staring at a screen for hours can leave your eyes strained, your head foggy, and your nervous system on edge. Taking tech breaks allows your senses to recalibrate. Your mind slows down. Your vision softens. You start noticing the world again—birds singing, your breathing, colors, silence.
3. More Natural Movement
Screen time often equals sit time. We lose track of how long we’ve been curled up on the couch or hunched over at a desk. But when we unplug, we naturally move more. We stretch. We walk. We live in our bodies again—which is crucial for those of us over 40 trying to keep our joints happy and our hearts strong.
4. Real-Life Connection
This is the big one. When we put down our devices, we pick up our relationships. Real eye contact. Real laughter. Real conversations that go beyond emojis and one-word replies.
Human connection—the kind that nourishes the soul—requires attention.
Presence. A willingness to be in the moment with someone else, fully.
Generational Takes: Who Struggles, Who Thrives
Digital detoxing hits differently depending on your age:
- Gen Z was born into tech. Their devices are extensions of their identity and community. Unplugging feels like going cold turkey—but some are already exploring minimalist phones and setting digital boundaries.
- Millennials remember life before smartphones but are now raising kids in a tech-saturated world. Many are starting to detox not just for themselves but for their children, modeling healthier habits.
- Gen X and Boomers might not be as addicted, but we still fall into tech traps—scrolling for hours or feeling overwhelmed by notifications. For us, detoxing often feels like coming home to something familiar: simplicity.
Across all generations, the need is the same—we want to feel human again.
The Psychology of Constant Connection
Let’s keep it real: technology isn’t evil. But the way we use it can get problematic.
We’re conditioned to seek dopamine—the brain’s “feel good” chemical. Social media, emails, texts? All dopamine triggers. It’s why you can’t stop refreshing your feed or checking for new messages.
But too much of this stimulation hijacks our brain’s reward system. We become restless, distracted, and even anxious when we’re not online.
The very thing meant to connect us begins to fracture our focus, dull our intuition, and chip away at our joy.
The good news? The brain is flexible. It can heal. With intentional digital breaks, we can rewire our minds toward clarity, stillness, and deeper presence.
Article: What Excessive Screen Time Does to the Adult Brain
More Digitally Connected, But Spiritually Disconnected
Let’s go deeper.
We’ve never been more connected in a digital sense—24/7 access, real-time updates, instant communication. And yet, we’ve never been more spiritually disconnected.
For too many of us, the screen has become our sanctuary, the newsfeed our altar.
But true connection—the kind that nourishes your soul and gives your life meaning—doesn’t come through Wi-Fi. It comes through presence.
Spiritual connection is what happens when you silence the noise and sit with yourself. It’s in the breath. The prayer. The journaling. The stillness.
It’s the feeling you get when you’re not trying to perform, prove, or post—just be.
But that kind of connection is often avoided because it brings up everything we’ve been numbing with our phones—loneliness, uncertainty, grief, the ache for something deeper.
That’s where the healing lives.
Unplug digitally, and you plug back in spiritually.
We re-attune to our own energy. We remember that we are part of something bigger. We notice synchronicities. We reclaim our intuition. We hear the whispers of God, Spirit, Source—whatever you call The Divine. But you can’t hear whispers over constant scrolling.
But here’s the truth: your phone might hold your calendar, your contacts, your bank app—but it will never hold your peace. That can only come from within.
This is a spiritual reckoning, y’all. And it starts with logging off.
How to Start Your Digital Detox Without Overwhelm
Let’s be honest—nobody wants to go cold turkey and toss their phone in the trash. And you don’t have to.
Detoxing doesn’t mean deleting your accounts or vanishing from the grid. It means setting boundaries that bring your nervous system back into balance. It means making tech serve you, not the other way around.
Here’s how to get started in a way that feels doable:
1. Try the “No Phone First Hour” Rule
Start your day with you—not texts, news, or social media. Keep your phone out of reach during your morning routine. Stretch. Journal. Sip tea. Let your mind wake up slowly and peacefully.
2. Designate “Tech-Free Zones”
Make your bedroom a no-tech sanctuary. No phones, tablets, or TVs. This helps your brain associate your bed with rest, not scrolling. Try it for a week—you’ll feel the shift.
3. Take a Weekly Tech Sabbath
Pick one day (or even half a day) a week to unplug completely. Go outside. Read a real book. Cook something from scratch. Let your mind wander. You’ll be amazed at how refreshed you feel.
4. Use App Limits and Downtime Settings
Most phones have features that help limit usage. Set daily limits for your most-used apps. Or schedule “downtime” hours in the evening when your apps go dark. Let technology help you detox from technology.
5. Go Analog on Purpose
Use a paper planner instead of a digital one. Write a to-do list by hand. Read physical books or print out articles. Reconnecting with paper can help ground your mind in the present moment.
6. Practice Mindful Scrolling
Ask yourself before you open an app: Why am I doing this? Is it boredom? Anxiety? Procrastination? Awareness is the first step toward freedom.
Start where you are. Pick one strategy. Do it consistently. That’s how digital detoxing becomes a lifestyle, not a temporary cleanse.
Reclaiming Peace: Your Next Step Toward Presence
Ready to detox with intention and reclaim your energy?
This digital shift mirrors everything I live and discuss.
Putting yourself first isn’t just a motto—it’s a practice. One that requires boundaries. Stillness. And the courage to tune in rather than tune out.
Digital detoxing is one of the most powerful ways to practice radical self-respect.
It’s not about running from the world. It’s about returning to yourself.
Whether it’s through a tech-free bedtime, a mindful morning, or an entire Sunday unplugged—you’re not just cutting out noise. You’re creating space. For clarity. For healing. For connection.
If you’re ready to start small, check out my “10-Min Inner Work” digital downloads. These quick, soulful prompts are perfect for stepping away from the scroll and coming back to center—designed to be used offline, anytime.
Want to go deeper? My “Single & Whole” workbook is your no-screens-allowed sanctuary—a guided space to rebuild your self-worth, one honest page at a time.
Because your peace is not a luxury—it’s a priority.
And peace begins where the notifications end.
#DigitalDetox #ScreenTime #MentalWellness #Mindfulness #SpiritualSelfCare #HealingJourney #WiseWomanWednesday #PersonalGrowth