Dr. Adrienne Kovacs, a Toronto-based clinical and health psychologist, worried she was spending too much time on screens — so, she decided to cut back.
“For me, just picking up my phone to check on Instagram and newsfeeds can quickly turn into an hour. But, by setting limits for myself, I was able to control the quality, as well as the quantity, of my screentime.”
Through her clinical work, Dr. Kovacs sees how important it is for people living with heart disease and stroke to manage their screen habits, too. Studies show too much screentime can have a negative impact on heart and brain health, by increasing stress, disrupting sleep and reducing time for heart-healthy activities, such as exercise.
But you don’t need to cut out screentime altogether — there are mood-lifting benefits to watching your favourite show or connecting with friends in a group chat. Instead, we can learn how to use screens mindfully. A good way to start is with a digital detox.
What exactly is a digital detox?
A digital detox is a short intentional break from your digital devices, helping you shift to healthier habits in the long term. The length of the break can vary but the goal, Dr. Kovacs says, is to ensure the time you’re spending on screens is purposeful.
What counts as screentime?
Screen time is anything you do in front of a screen: watching TV, working on a computer, playing video games or scrolling through social media on your phone. E-readers count if they emit blue light, which affects sleep, but not if they’re equipped with e-ink screens, which mimics the experience of reading on paper.
How to tell if you need a break from screens
Digital devices are part of everyday life. We use them for work, school, communication, entertainment and accessing news, so our screen time can add up quickly. “Still, rather than saying that screentime itself is harmful, it really depends on how you’re using it,” Dr. Kovacs says.
You might benefit from a digital detox if:
- You find yourself making unhealthy comparisons to others on social media.
- Reading the news leaves you anxious or sad.
- You feel distressed at the idea of being without your phone.
- Screentime delays your bedtime, disrupts your sleep or keeps you sedentary.
- You check your phone constantly.
- Screentime is getting in the way of other healthy activities and social interactions.
What are the heart and brain health benefits of a digital detox?
Cutting back on screentime can free up time for other things you enjoy, such as reading a book, exercising or spending time with friends in person. It can also decrease your stress levels, improve your focus and help you sleep better.
How does excess screen time affect your health?
There are several ways spending time on screens can have a negative impact on your heart-brain health, including:
- Reduced social connection: More time staring at a screen means less time connecting in person.
- Increased stress and anxiety: Doomscrolling, unfair social comparisons and negative interactions on social media (such as harassment or trolling) can cause psychological distress.
- Disrupted sleep: Spending time on screens can delay your bedtime, impact sleep quality and contribute to insomnia.
- Lack of exercise: A sedentary lifestyle is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
- Unhealthy eating habits: Excess time on screens can mean less time spent on healthy meal preparation and more mindless eating.
Five easy ways to start a digital detox
Because screens are so integrated into our lifestyles, it can be hard to give them up, Dr. Kovacs says. “They’re engineered to keep us engaged.” And, for those who rely on them for work, school or connecting with distant family and friends, they can be essential.
While we may not be able to abandon them completely, we can be more thoughtful about the time we spend on them.
Here are five things to do today to develop healthier digital habits for tomorrow:
- Set a goal: Consider why you want to reduce your screen time. To have more time for exercise? To be more focused at work? To get better grades? Identifying the why will help you stick with the digital detox.
- Start small: Your smartphone can tell you how much time you spend on screens, giving you a benchmark. Set a new limit that is reasonable — and achievable — for you, whether by removing social media apps from your phone or cutting back from two hours of TV a day to one hour. And, for those who watch TV while scrolling, a good change might be “one device at a time.”
- Use technology to help you: Dr. Kovacs uses her smartwatch to remind her to stand every hour throughout the day, helping her avoid sedentary behaviour. There are also apps designed to help you be more intentional with your time, such as Focus Friend, in which a cute little bean character knits while you focus on a task — the longer you focus, the more your Focus Friend accomplishes too.
- Make it meaningful: Pay attention to how you feel after you’ve been on a screen and aim for digital engagement that leaves you feeling better, not worse.
- Plan around your bedtime: Most experts recommend avoiding screens an hour before bed, but if that feels unachievable, try shutting everything down 30 or 15 minutes before you climb under the covers.
When Dr. Kovacs did her own digital detox, she set limits every day — 15 minutes total — so she would check her newsfeeds for five minutes in the morning, in the afternoon and at night. “It forced me to be choosy about what newsfeeds I used, and it helped me plan how to use my allotted screentime more effectively.”
It also freed up time for her favourite hobby: reading. When the timer went off on her device, she’d pick up a book instead. The key to success with a digital detox is to start small and experiment with what works for you, Dr. Kovacs says, “because even small changes can have a positive impact.”
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