How to have a digital detox

Taking a digital detox is great for your mental and physical wellbeing.

The average person taps and swipes on their phone 2,617 times every day, according to Scout's survey, and you can take the 'Am I addicted to my smartphone' quiz from itstimetologoff.com to assess whether you should take some more time away from your phone.

Check out more related articles on mindfulness:

• Mindfulness at work – mindful meetings and better office health
• How to take a mindful coffee break
• Pebble doodling for mindfulness

The 2017 Ofcom survey found UK adults now spend an average of 8 hours and 41 minutes using technology – watching TV, using their phone, playing games – and that's more time than the average person spends sleeping.

And people over the age of 16 spend an average of more than 60 hours a week on their phone.

It's particularly important to take time away from screens and devices in the hour before you go to bed, as the blue light they emit stops our bodies producing the hormone melatonin, which makes us feel sleepy.

And several studies have found a link between heavy internet and social media use and depression and anxiety.

You can find out more about why and how you should take a break from your digital devices at itstimetologoff.com, including their suggestions for a 5:2 digital diet.

Tips for a digital detox

Charlene Lim of Trika Yoga is our yoga columnist, sharing expert tips to boost your wellbeing with yoga techniques, and as a busy studio owner she understands the importance of achieving a work-life balance. Charlene says we are all guilty of having our phones with us too much!

Here’s Charlene's five top tips for taking a break from your digital devices:

1. Put your phone down.
2. Airplane mode is your friend - switch it on to avoid the temptation of notifications pinging away.
3. Dedicate ‘away’ times - after work ends, at mealtimes, bedtime, and during holidays.
4. Let the battery run out.
5. When you feel the need to check your phone, do something else instead. Always wanted to try that recipe? Read that book? Haven’t doodled in a while? Distract yourself!

Photos from Lum3n.