The Benefits of Going Offline – Plus How to Do it

A lot of us don’t think about the harm that staying indoors and being chronically online causes. However, there are actual measurable benefits of going offline that we need to talk about.

Keep reading to find out the mental and physical benefits of going offline. Plus, learn how a small habit, just a couple of minutes a day, can change your entire life.

Mental and Physical Benefits of Going Offline

Let’s jump right into it, without further ado here are the physical and mental benefits of going offline. This means ditching the technology, leaving your room, and getting some fresh air. Check out a simple how-to guide below for the best tips and tricks. It doesn’t matter if you live in the suburbs, the city, or the woods, going offline is possible for everybody.

Improved Self Esteem 

This is one benefit that everyone can use. Going offline can help improve your self-esteem. This is because when we are online, we are usually using some sort of social media app. These apps are flooded with travel, amazing food, events, activities, and more. The interface of the app allows you to spend a couple of seconds on some entertaining picture video and scroll endlessly.

This floods our minds with short bursts of dopamine that leave us feeling dull, bored, and angsty when we’re not using these apps. Plus, the social media feeds only show the best parts of someone’s life. We may compare our lives to theirs and find our own lacking. That’s why when we get offline and stop comparing, we tend to gain more self-esteem.

Improved Eyesight

Looking at a screen is horrible for eyesight. Our eyes are only focusing at a certain distance and it can weaken our muscles in our eyes. Going outside and just looking around can help retrain and strengthen the eye muscles. 

Studies find that individuals who go outside more have a reduced risk of myopia, also known as nearsightedness. Being outside in childhood is very important as children who are outdoors more have less of a risk of developing nearsightedness in the future.

Improved Posture

When we’re sitting at a desk or lying in bed, our posture is not the best. Sitting at a desk, we’re usually hunched over, leaning into a screen, and underutilizing our back and abdominal muscles. This also means we’re taking shallow breaths which can lead to even more mental and physical issues.

Going outside and going on a short walk can help improve posture. Walking is a great way to effortlessly improve circulation, decrease stress, and increase cardiovascular health. The benefit of not bringing your phone or any tech is that you can mindfully enjoy the present moment without worrying about what’s going on in the world for a couple of seconds.

Reduced Stress

Being online all the time causes stress. Whether that’s from an endless cycle of news, comparisons on social media, issues at work, or any of the multiple complications that come from being online. Let’s unplug for a bit.

Turning off your phone is a great way to reduce stress. You’re not waiting for a notification, you’re not checking socials, you’re not craving a short dopamine hit. The more you go offline, the less cortisol that floods the body. Cortisol is linked to inflammation, which can cause serious illnesses and diseases, as shown in this article here.

Improved Mood

Our mental health deteriorates the more online we are. There are comparisons, raging out opinions, endless news cycles, etc.

When we go offline and simply exist in the world for a bit, our mood improves. We experience fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression the more time we spend offline and outdoors. For more of the benefits that being outside can give you, check out this article here!

Improved Outlook On Life

Overall outlook on life and satisfaction increase exponentially when we unplug. Again, not to beat the point down, but it’s because we stop comparing ourselves to others. It’s because we stop relying on short videos or pictures to give us dopamine. Instead, we start looking around us and start existing in the world. 

People who are offline and outside often report greater Life satisfaction and optimism.

Go Offline and Touch Some Grass – A How-to Guide

So, easier said than done in this modern age of technology. I understand that. A lot of us wake up and the first thing we do is check our email. Here are a couple of habits that you can start doing today to help you go offline more.

• Don’t reach for the phone – when you first wake up, try not to reach for your phone. The emails, the notifications, the text messages can wait. Give yourself a couple of moments to simply exist. Give thanks that you woke up this morning, and try to enjoy a beverage and breakfast without any distractions.
• Take breaks – it’s important for our eyesight to take breaks. That can simply mean looking away from the screen and looking at other things for a couple of moments.
• Evening Walks – if not walks are a great way to help improve circulation and sneak in a bit of exercise in your day. If you work in the evenings, substitute this for morning walks.
• Touch grass – there are huge benefits to going outside and touching grass. Taking time to feel the world around you, physically, is super helpful for mental and physical health. It can boost mood and even improve your immune system.
• Look at the grass – all right, so maybe you live in the city. Some studies have found that taking a couple of moments to look at pictures of nature can give you some of the benefits that being out in nature gives. Get yourself a nature magazine and start browsing through the great outdoors.

The Takeaway

It’s time for us to unplug and really tune into the benefits of going offline. There’s so much more to the world than the internet, and even just taking a couple of minutes a day to unwind makes all the difference. The mental and physical benefits that you will receive from doing this are incredible and can change your life. Be present in moments where you’re offline and watch how wellness flourishes.

Remember that health comes from within. Eat nutritious food, exercise when you can, and take care of your mental health. The small daily habits you cultivate become the basis for overall wellness. Don’t forget about microbiota health too! Gut microbiota affects the entire body, from the skin to muscles, to immune and mental health! Get all the resources you need about microbiota health for free here!