As Taylor Swift deletes Instagram and Twitter, this is why you should try a digital detox too

Experts say that stepping away from social media apps can lead to a healthier, happier you
Blank space on social media: Taylor Swift
Getty Images
Tanya Goodin21 August 2017

Taylor Swift has left fans in shock this weekend after wiping her social media pages and website completely clean.

The Blank Space singer, 27, began deleting content on Friday and left her Twitter and Instagram accounts blank, while her Facebook page now has no posts after 2015.

While some have questioned whether her overnight purge is part of an upcoming album release, others have speculated that the move is part of a conscious effort from Swift to take a break from her online persona.

But it's not just celebrities that should think about cutting their screen time. UK adults now spend more time staring at the screens than they do sleeping, so perhaps it's unsurprising that experts are warning that this constant exposure could be damaging our health.

Here, Tanya Goodin, author of self-help book Off, gives you five reasons to say 'yes' to a digital detox like T-Swift this year.

1. Your sleep will improve

All that staring at screens is having an impact on your sleep and, if your work is very screen-dependent, chances are you will have noticed this already. The blue light that's used in all screen-based devices interferes with the release of melatonin (the brain chemical that makes you feel sleepy) and leaves you feeling alert and awake - struggling to fall sleep. Ditch your screens, for even a few hours a day, and you'll fall into a much deeper slumber at night time.

2. You'll be less stressed and anxious

Researchers in Sweden have found that high phone use is particularly associated with stress in women and a second piece of research also found a link between heavy smartphone use and increasing anxiety levels. The more frequently you check your phone the more your dopamine levels rise in your brain - dopamine makes you anticipate and respond to rewards - so you just keep checking your phone more and more. Put your phone away and feel stress and anxiety melt away.

3. Your neck and back will thank you

'Tech neck' is the snappy name that's been coined for the neck and shoulder pain that develops when you stay hunched over your phone screen for long periods. In time this can even deepen into muscle strain and disc injury. Take breaks from looking down and help your neck and back decompress by looking up instead.

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4. Your focus and concentration will improve

The attention spans of goldfish are the subject of many jokes. But in the last couple of years average human attention spans have actually fallen below those of goldfish. Many researchers believe that so-called 'multi-tasking' on multiple screens (and jumping between multiple apps) is to blame. Building in longer periods of digital detox into your schedule, and practicing focusing on one thing at a time, will help you relearn how to focus again.

5. You'll be a lot happier

Studies show that both adults and children who spend a lot of time on their phones, and particularly on social media, are more likely to suffer from depression. Removing social media apps from your phone, or better still cutting down on the hours you spend on your phone, will definitely help to make you feel happier.

TanyaGoodin is an award-winning digital entrepreneur and founder of digital detox specialists Time To Log Off.

Off. Your Digital Detox is published by Ilex, £5.99 octopusbooks.co.uk

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