‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring…
…because they were all glued to their phones.
Does this sound like the holidays at your house? From baking cookies to snuggling up by the fire to decorating the house, our favorite traditions are being swallowed up by the urge to scroll.
Don’t get us wrong; we love our screens just as much as the next person. But during the holidays, screens can get in the way of real interactions, causing post-holiday regret (Why didn’t we throw our ugly sweater party this year?). They can also prevent you from destressing and reenergizing during your much-needed days off.
How can you fight the urge to scroll this holiday season and enjoy more fulfilling R&R with family and friends?
We’ve got a few tips below to help you rewire that digitally dependent brain and start the new year off with a healthy reboot.
How Your Devices Affect Your Brain
We love the idea of unplugging and getting back to the holiday basics. But it can be really hard to actually put that phone down!
That’s not your fault.
Spending too much time on your devices can affect your brain chemistry, making it more challenging to disconnect. This can lead to an increased desire to stay engaged with your screens, which may impact your overall well-being.
What might your screens be doing to your brain?
- They make you sluggish: Why do you feel too exhausted to do anything but scroll on your phone? Prolonged phone use can contribute to feelings of fatigue, making it harder to stay active or engaged in other tasks.
- They alter your body clock and may affect sleep: Blue light from screens can interfere with your natural sleep-wake cycle. People who use devices before bed may experience disruptions in sleep patterns, leading to difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.
- They decrease your attention span: Since the introduction of smartphones, there has been a trend toward shorter attention spans. This may result from the constant stimulation provided by devices, which can make it harder for your brain to focus on a single task for extended periods.
- They may make it harder to socialize in person: Excessive device use can make it challenging to interpret non-verbal social cues, particularly for children. This may affect social interactions and could contribute to feelings of isolation. One study found that social media use for extended periods may increase the likelihood of experiencing loneliness.
- They may affect brain development in young people: Extended screen time for children may be linked to slower development in certain areas like language skills, cognitive control, and brain connectivity. Limiting screen time can support healthier development.[3]
Again, we’re not saying you should throw your phones in the Yule fire this holiday season.
Our devices are not inherently negative. But too much screen time is clearly a bad thing.
Luckily, you can reverse much of the damage that digital addiction causes by unplugging those devices and rebooting your organic computer: your brain.
The Benefits of Unplugging for the Holidays
The holiday season is a great opportunity to reduce screen time. By spending more face-to-face time with loved ones, you can enhance your overall well-being and enjoy a more fulfilling holiday experience.
Enjoy Time with Loved Ones Even More
Time spent with friends and relatives seems to fly by, so why pass it on your phone? Spending too much time on your devices makes you feel alone and antisocial even when others are around.
In a sense, it takes practice to be good at socializing even on a cognitive level. When you put the screens down, you’re better at communicating and reacting to others. And, you get more enjoyment out of spending time with loved ones. It’s a win-win.
Rest and Recharge
Excessive screen time can interfere with sleep patterns and contribute to stress or discomfort. Taking steps to limit screen exposure, especially before bedtime, may help promote better rest and overall relaxation during the holidays.
Try reducing screen time by checking your email once per day and avoiding screens for about two hours before bedtime. Instead of reaching for your device, consider reading a book or engaging in a calming activity to help your body wind down.
Reduce Holiday Stress
The holidays are full of joy, but they can also bring about added stress. While screens may seem like a distraction from the holiday chaos, they can sometimes contribute to increased stress. Spending time on social media can prevent your brain from fully relaxing and may increase feelings of tension.
Taking breaks from screen time can help you recharge and feel more at ease, so you’re ready to handle the holiday activities with a refreshed mindset.
Improve Focus and Brainpower
Screens can impact how we focus and process information. When we try to multitask, our brains are actually switching focus between different tasks, which may reduce our ability to concentrate on a single task for extended periods.
Taking a break from screens may help restore focus and improve attention span. This could be especially beneficial for children, as limiting screen time during the holidays may support their social and cognitive development.
5 Tips to Help You Unplug for the Holidays
Pulling the plug on your devices can be tough. If you haven’t done it before, here are a few tips on how to start.
1. Discuss with Your Family Beforehand
Everyone in your home should be on board with a digital detox before you begin. Springing a no-phone policy on your kids won’t result in a happy holiday. Start suggesting your plan to unplug a few weeks in advance, and if you get any pushback, use it as an opportunity to initiate a conversation. Remember, you don’t need to go cold turkey. Find a compromise you can all live with and unplug together.
2. Make Healthy Holiday Plans
If everyone just sits around the house with nothing to do, your devices will get the best of you. Instead, plan fun activities with family and friends over the holidays. The more there is to do, the less you’ll be tempted by your devices. Start with your favorite holiday traditions like baking cookies or decorating a tree. If no one else plans them, make them happen yourself! Here are a few more ideas to keep you busy:
- Community events
- Holiday movies at the theater
- Board games
- Christmas carols
- Holiday parties
- Volunteering opportunities
- Christmas light viewing
- Snowman building
3. Designate Bedrooms as No-screen Zones
One of the keys to a successful unplugging is to stop using screens before bed. Studies show that many negative symptoms of screen addiction, including stress, lack of sleep, eye issues and more, start when you use your devices under the covers [7]. One of the easiest ways to fight this temptation is to keep screens out of the bedroom altogether. If your phone is in another room, you won’t be able to scroll in bed.
4. Find New Ways to Relax
When you have some downtime, you pick up your phone as if by instinct. So, you’ll need to find some new relaxation activities to replace it. During the holidays, sitting in front of a fire or the Christmas tree is a wonderful way to relax with family. Reading a book together or alone is also super calming. You might want to take this opportunity to incorporate meditation into your daily life. It has many relaxing and brain-boosting benefits for people of all ages.
5. Do an App Purge
Make your holiday unplugging a gift that keeps on giving by purging some of the most addictive (and mindless) apps on your phones. This is a great family activity! Check the apps you use most and think about what they bring to your lives. Do they benefit you? Do they benefit your loved ones? Apps such as games, casinos and social media may take up a lot of your time but provide little value in return. Get rid of a few and encourage your family to do the same. By the time the holidays are over, you probably won’t even realize they’re gone!
Support Your Brain with Supplements
Using devices is a part of life that we simply can’t avoid.
After your holiday digital detox, you may find it challenging to maintain a balance. However, you can still support your brain with supplements that are designed to promote cognitive health.
Here are some to consider:
- Magnesium: Magnesium is is an essential mineral involved in numerous body processes, including supporting mood, memory, focus, and sleep.* If you find yourself using your phone at night, consider magnesium as part of your routine to help with relaxation.
- Sleep Complex: Rest is vital for both the body and mind. Our Liposomal Sleep Complex combines melatonin, valerian root, and magnesium to help promote relaxation, support a healthy sleep cycle, and improve sleep quality.* The liposomal delivery system enhances absorption, allowing for more effective support during your rest. If you struggle with sleep, especially after long periods of screen time, our Sleep Complex may be helpful.
- Multivitamin: A high-quality multivitamin can help fill in nutritional gaps and support overall health. Our Liposomal Multivitamin contains a potent mix of vitamins and minerals to support immune function, energy levels, and cognitive function.* Using liposomal technology ensures better absorption, allowing you to maximize the benefits. Whether you’re managing stress, supporting focus, or maintaining energy, our Liposomal Multivitamin can help fuel your body for optimal performance.
- B12: Vitamin B12 is essential for healthy energy production, cognitive function, and overall well-being. Liposomal delivery increases absorption, making it more effective in supporting energy and focus. If you’re feeling fatigued or need help with concentration, adding Liposomal Vitamin B12 to your routine could help you stay energized and sharp throughout the day.
Lose Your Phone and Find the Holiday Spirit
If you feel like you’ve lost your holiday spirit in recent years, you’re not alone. But just like Scrooge, it’s never too late to rediscover it!
To reconnect with the joy of the season, spend quality time with the people who matter most, and try to limit distractions from your devices.
Take a break from screens and focus on what truly matters, helping to refresh your mind and create a more fulfilling holiday season.
FAQ
A digital detox involves taking a break from screens, such as smartphones, computers, and tablets, to improve your mental and physical well-being. It helps reduce screen fatigue and allows you to reconnect with the present moment, your loved ones, and yourself.
Excessive screen time can lead to brain fatigue, decreased attention span, disrupted sleep, and increased stress levels. It can even lead to feelings of loneliness and hinder social interactions. Reducing screen time can help restore mental clarity, focus, and relaxation.
Unplugging allows you to be more present with family and friends, improves your sleep, reduces stress, and boosts your overall mental well-being. It helps you reconnect with holiday traditions and enjoy a more fulfilling holiday season.
Start by setting screen-free zones, such as the bedroom, and establish family-wide rules about limiting device use. Plan holiday activities, like baking cookies or playing board games, to keep everyone engaged and away from screens.
Yes! Supplements like magnesium, sleep complex, b12, and more support brain health and cognitive function, helping to combat the effects of digital overload. They can help improve focus, reduce stress, and support sleep, ensuring you feel balanced even after your digital detox.
