Well, hello March!  There’s a lot to celebrate this time of year. We welcome longer days this weekend and the first hints of spring (soon we hope!) and meaningful moments like International Women’s Day as well as Women’s History month.  We enjoy traditions like St. Patty’s Day (yes, including the occasional green beer and plate of corned beef), and we begin to feel the shift toward fresh starts with a new season. 

There’s another observance in early March that deserves a little attention: Global Day of Unplugging on March 6ht and 7th this year.

First launched in 2009 by the Unplug Collaborative, this annual movement encourages people to step away from screens for 24 hours and reconnect with life beyond notifications, emails and endless scrolling. It may sound simple but in today’s always-connected world, unplugging can feel super difficult!

During a TED talk in 2017 titled 12 truths I learned from life and writing, author Anne Lamott (Bird by Bird, Traveling Mercies, Hallelujah Anyway) said:

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”  — Anne Lamott

The truth is, technology brings lots of convenience to our lives. But the constant connectivity also comes with trade-offs many of which we are only just beginning to understand. Here are a few ways our digital habits may be quietly affecting our well-being…

Sleep that never fully happens – How many times have you crawled into bed intending to check “just one thing” on your phone and suddenly it’s midnight?

Most of know by now that the blue light from our phones, tablets, and TVs can interfere with the body’s natural production of melatonin but for some the addiction is hard to break. Add late-night scrolling into the mix, and it becomes much harder for the body to wind down.

If restful sleep has been elusive lately, your screen time might be part of the story.

Isolation – While many nations have declared a loneliness epidemic the U.S. reports that over half (54%) of Americans feel they do not have meaningful personal connections . 

Ironically, the tools designed to keep us connected can sometimes make us feel more alone. While social media allows us to stay in touch with friends and family across the globe, studies show many people report fewer meaningful personal connections. Seeing curated snapshots of other people’s lives can trigger feelings of comparison or exclusion.

And, texting is certainly convenient but it really can’t fully replace the warmth of a conversation across a table or even a good phone call. Human conneciton still matters more than any notification will. 

A Constant State of Distraction – Ping, Buzz, Ring! Our devices are designed to capture our attention, and they are really good at it.

Those constant alerts interrupt our focus throughout the day. Over time, this pattern of quick digital stimulation can make it harder to concentrate deeply on tasks, read longer content, or simply sit with our thoughts. Sometimes the mind needs quiet space to reset.

Cyberbullying –Listen up, the top three countries where parents reported  cyberbullying includes the U.S. and a PEW Research study found that 59% of U.S. teens have experienced abusive online behavior, as the anonymity provided by the internet shelters people from being – or even feeling – accountable for their actions. 

This is another downside of digital life. The way oline interactions can become harsher than real-life ones. The distance and anonymity of the internet sometimes embolden behavior people might nevr display face-to-face.

While many online communities are supportive and inspiring, stepping away from the noise can feel incredibly refreshing.

Stunted imagination – A study from Uppsala University shows that preschool children’s play involving tablets is less creative and imaginative compared to their play involving physical toys.  

When every spare moment is filled with a screen, there’s less space for creativity and imagination. Researchers studying children’s play have even found that screen-based activities tend to inspire less creative engaement than hands-on play.

The same may be true for adults. Some of our best ideas arrive during quiet wals, long conversaitons, or moments when our minds are allowed to wander.

Communication problems and poor social skills – Studies indicate that the high use of texting can cause a disconnect in personal relationships, as a reliance on technology for communicating and socializing, actual inhibits development of social skills.  

A UNC Chapel Hill study finds that too much screen time makes our brains lazy, making it harder for us to interact with other people.  The study points out that the more time spent looking at a screen the less time is spent establishing and building strong connections and relationships which are important for mental health and the health of the community at large.

Essentially, too much time on smartphones is not making us very smart so unplugging every now and then could benefit our well-being. 

So… can you unplug? Even for today and tommorrow??? Taking a full 24-hour break from technology might feel daunting but the point of the Global Day of Unplugging isn’t perfection, it’s awareness. Even a few hours without screens can be surprisingly restorative.

Go for a walk, cook a meal, read a book, call a friend or meet for coffee in person and spending time with family without checkig your phone are all great ways to unplug if you want to take part in the Global Day of Unplugging. Technology will still be there when you return. That’s a reset worth taking We’ll see you in the next blog (plugged-in again, of course)!

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 Deb Fries works with the Julianna Rae team to offer the best shopping experience for quality silk and cotton sleepwear while also writing for the blog at Juliannarae.com.