Digital Detox

Gone are the days when people were sitting at home and doing nothing. The Covid-19 has created a new path — sitting at home and doing everything, most of the time doing more than the actual work than sitting in the office.

Some reports suggest a 60 per cent increase in screen time, forcing people to adopt the same detox theory that they have to undergo after several years of overeating or junk consumption. The body needs detox if you do anything excessively.

What happened during the Covid-19? People ate more, spent more time in front of computers and smartphones and to avoid going out, they watched more TV. The result is an adverse impact on the mind, body and soul. You are mistaken when you think it is the eyes only that suffer from over exposure to smart screens. Rather it affects the whole body and impacts you psychologically.

The rays that the smart screens emit are harmful, as most eye care professionals estimate that blue light impacts not only patients’ eyes but also their overall physical and mental health.

Moreover, glued mostly to TV, computer or smartphones, people block the outlet that the mind and body need in the forms of face-to-face interaction and physical activity.

“It has brought a situation in which family members remain glued to phones or computers on the pretext of doing office or schoolwork. My 14-year-old son was not much into using mobile phones, but he is so much into it during the pandemic that it is like an addiction. He gets irritated quickly and shows the screen on any interruption, telling he is on some school project or the other. Slightly less but almost the same is the situation with my husband’’, said Rahma, a housewife.

Meena Lal, a Yoga practitioner, suggests certain ways for a digital detox. “Mostly people know, but it is worth making a quick note to avoid health issues’’, she says.

Set your priorities and timing. Let your office know that you are available for calls/ meetings during set time boundaries. There should be self-discipline for technology-free hours everyday.

While at home, fix time to interact with the family. Talk, play and prepare food together.

Take advantage of the phone’s features to turn off notifications of apps that keep you engaged. No harm in switching off the phone for a particular time daily.

Re-start your habit of reading books and hard copy newspapers. It is an excellent way to detach from the screen for some time.

Strict no to phones while eating.

Try morning or evening walks with the family. If that is not possible, practising yoga at home is the best solution.

Most eye experts express concern over the impact on eyes due to overexposure to screens. “So practices like eye-rotation exercises should be included in daily physical activity to keep your eyes fit’’, she says.

No to phone at least half an hour before going to bed. It has been observed that people are sleep-deprived due to overuse of phones at bedtime.