Why It’s Necessary To Unplug—The Importance of Social Media Detoxes

by Amanda Etkind

 

Whether you wake up and grab your phone to take a morning stroll through your Instagram feed, or you’re spending your lunch break watching the latest TikTok dances, there’s no denying that social media plays a huge part in our lives. And while the wonders of technology have allowed us to keep in touch with our loved ones, maintain friendships from across the globe, and discover new information with a single click, it’s not always so positive. Endlessly scrolling can have a negative impact on your mental health (and your skin, but more on that later), leaving you drained, anxious, and depressed. A recent study found that Americans check their phones on average 42 times per day, with some even checking up to 150 times (us included). If you’ve been feeling this way as of late, you may be due for a social media detox. Unplugging from your phone can help your mental health and allow you to live more presently. Here, we dive into the reasons why it’s crucial to take social media detoxes for a healthier, happier you.  

 

It Improves Your Mental Health and Mood
Checking your Instagram multiple times a day may seem harmless, but in doing so, you’re creating an addiction around being up-to-date on what’s happening on the app (or your go-to app of course). Apps were set up this way. They were designated for you to consistently scroll, so when you’re not scrolling, you may get anxious and fall into a FOMO spiral—or, fear of missing out. Taking time away can help reinvigorate the joy you find in your actual life and care less about what’s going on on an app that has very little to do with your actual life. 

 

It Halts the Comparison Cycle 
You may love to see what your toxic ex is up to as of late, but checking up on people that are no longer in your life (for a reason) IRL is not healthy. The thing about social media is while it allows you to share exciting moments with friends and family, it also is only a highlight reel. You may end up comparing your lives to your coworker or even wishing your body looked like your favorite influencer.  Basically, it can have a serious impact on your self-esteem and cause depression. Taking a break from the apps allows you  to reconnect and find joy in the positive things you do have in your life rather than wish you were someone else.

 

It Lessens The Amount of Blue Light Exposure to Your Skin
You’ve probably heard us wax poetic about the negative impact of artificial blue light on our skin. If you haven’t, we’ll get you up to speed. As we’ve previously said, your laptop, TV, tablet, phone all emit something called blue light. It can cause damage similar (like premature wrinkles, inflammation, sagging, and more) to that of UVA/UVB rays from the sun. Limiting your screen time each day can help reduce your exposure to this harmful form of ultraviolet light. But since you can’t unplug altogether, we created our skincare line designed to not only fight the effects of already-done damage but prevent new damage from occurring thanks to our proprietary BLU5 technology. It’s formulated with marine active extract sourced from the waters off the coast of Greenland. This extract is packed with proteins and polysaccharides which create a protective film over your skin to prevent blue light damage.

 

It Allows You To Live In The Moment
If you’re anything like us, you’re probably guilty of scrolling or texting during important life moments like birthdays, holidays, etc. While, of course, you want to snap videos and take pics to cherish these special times, focusing on filming rather than living in the moment can turn these exciting experiences into lower quality ones making them become less memorable. Instead of spending the entire time trying to film content,  take a few minutes to capture these special moments, then turn off your phone or put it on silent so you can soak in your surroundings and enjoy the time with your loved ones and friends. 

 

It Boosts Your Productivity
It’s okay to admit you’re on your phone during your workday, because in this day and age, who isn’t? But spending hours on end glued to your phone can decrease your productivity and only aid in procrastination (we’re certainly familiar with her). You have to admit that social media is a huge time suck, and while we love to scroll endlessly to see the latest food hack or fuzzy slippers we may or may not need, doing this isn’t actually helping you. Leaving your phone in a drawer or tucked away while completing necessary tasks will actually help you get through them quicker so you can spend more time doing the things you actually love. 

 

It Refocuses Your Brain On Non-Social Media Related Goals
Do you spend hours a week on social media wanting to cook like your favorite chef, practice a skincare routine like your face beauty expert, or try the latest trending workout? We know the drill—we go in with big plans, only to end up abandoning those goals with the excuse that we don’t have time to do it. This is likely because you’re spending hours scrolling rather than living your life and focusing on your goals. It’s great to use these apps as a source of inspo, but don’t let finding the inspo get in the way of actually implementing these new healthy habits and goals into your daily routine. 

 

BTW, there’s nothing wrong with spending time on social media. It’s just important to use your time on social media with purpose and intention, rather than allowing it to take over your life and negatively affect your mind, body, and spirit.