Digital Detox – The Treatment of Unplugging

The power of technology is truly amazing and constantly evolving every day. It assists with our day to day lives, with our family, our work and provides us with down time as now apps can do so many things for us. But think about it. Is it really “down time”? Just like we need a weekend break or vacation from our jobs, we need a break from technology and over stimulation.

It is the misconception of much of the population that we embody only the five conventional senses of sight, sound, smell, touch, taste and that unconventional sixth sense. However, your body is equipped with fifteen additional senses that include balance, pain, temperature, time, the internal senses of thirst, fullness and thermoception to name a few. Imagine all these senses working continuously without any reprieve? This stimulation overload is due to our constant dependency of the digital world. As our tech habits deny our brains important downtime, our ability for deep-thinking and maintained focus is reducing.

Information overload is a serious issue of our time. “Without open spaces and downtime, the nervous system never shuts down – it’s in constant flight or fight mode. We’re wired and tired all the time. Even computers know when it’s time to reboot, but we’re not doing it.” – Jane E. Brody

The facts:

• 61% of the population admit to their addiction to the internet and their devices
• 95% of people use some form of electronics in the hour leading up to bedtime
• The average employee checks 40 websites a day, switching activities 37 times an hour, changing tasks every two minutes

Technology has a major effect on the skin. Looking down at a smartphone an average 150 times a day and other screen-related postures when gazing at devices for hours a day are causing conditions that dermatologists have coined as “Tech neck and Phone Face”, a new form of premature aging of the features and skin. With constant exposure, the effects of High Energy Visible light (HEV) are on the skin’s surface. Exposure to HEV can lead to inflammation, sensitivity and dryness, which lead to uneven skin tone and texture.

The benefits of unplugging:

People want to disconnect, not permanently, but being able to completely disconnect for a small period of time allows a person to reset and gain back the ability for deep thinking and maintained focus. Restful sleep, promoted by disconnecting from technology, provides dramatic effects on the skin due to the increased blood flow. With the reduction of HEV we experience increased blood flow which is beneficial in assisting your skin ability to absorb repairing ingredients like vitamin A, C and E found in many skin care products often used at night. These vitamins accelerate the skin’s natural repair process, strengthen elasticity and improve smoothness while defending against Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS – free radicals). During this down time, since your skin isn’t defending itself from free radicals, it can focus on repairing itself.

Treatment time out:

Why not offer your client a Digital Detox treatment which was designed by the skin experts at IDI to combat the symptoms of digital overload that may show up on the skin. Driven by the power of human touch, 20 minutes of the treatment are dedicated to touch therapy (massage) and professional masking. It’s all about using professional-grade products and ingredients, and applications that help the skin switch from defense mode to regeneration mode. It’s about renewal and repair.

As an addition to treatment, incorporate a weighted blanket. The weighted blanket is engineered to be 7-12% of your body weight which will relax the nervous system by simulating the feeling of being held or hugged. This feeling increases the serotonin and melatonin levels and decreases cortisol levels, improving your mood. These blankets are frequently prescribed to people who suffer from PTSD and anxiety.

Technology is such a large part of everyone’s lives. If we can just take the time to reboot and give our mind and body a break, we could experience mindfulness, deeper connection to others, increased creativity and even more restful sleep.

Watch a video on Digital Detox here:
Digital Detox on YouTube