Take breaks from the internet

Spring is here and we all can feel it in Southern Ontario. It is a good time to take internet breaks from time to time and to go out and enjoy some nice fresh air.

If you wonder if you have been spending too much time on the internet it really depends, but no matter what, we can all use a break from the internet from time to time. Sometimes, it is good to let your eyes rest and on focus on some greenery in real life.

We mean not to take a break for a day or two, but take a break for every hour that you spend online, a short 10-15-minute break. This will boost your mental health as well. Too much time online can deteriorate  your offline relationships with people around you, cause concentration issues and can lead to social anxiety and even cause heart related problems in the future.

Being away from the internet or just taking a break from it means your mind can recuperate. Your mind is capable of great things by healing you mentally and physically. Being away from the online world also gives you a great opportunity to think about life and reflect on what is important. It is an ideal moment to relieve stress by going for a brisk walk, some exercise or just connecting with someone in real life, even if it is for a very brief moment.

All of these things are important for helping you build social skills and develop a solid foundation of values at an early age. It will ingrain a solid foundation of habits and help you overcome addictive tendencies. You know when you spend too much time online if your sleep is suffering from being online too much. The quality of sleep you are getting is lousy or you are simply not getting enough hours of REM sleep due to all the online activity you have going before powering off for the night.

That's why it is also helpful for a lot of people to power off their online devices at least one hour before they go to sleep. This will help to get your mind ready and you will be more at ease with less stimulating activities going through your mind. Also, the light from your devices can cause your brain to get into a state of alertness before going to sleep. That's why powering off devices one hour before bedtime should give most people adequate time to get into a resting/night mode just before their sleep.

Just ask yourself whenever you have a headache or some wrist pain, or when you feel a bit depressed if it is because you have no access to the internet. If you answer yes, honestly you might have an internet addiction and you crave spending time on the internet. Taking regular breaks is a good start to detox and solving that internet addiction problem. It is never too late to do something about it.

The internet can be a blessing in our lives and while it enriches our lives, too much of everything can be harmful to anyone. Everyone uses the internet differently and everyone has their reasons to be online, just keep in mind that finding the right balance is the key to a better and healthier (internet) life.