Take breaks from the internet
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 minutes 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 some 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 solve 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.