13 May Trending Now: Digital Fasting

Trending Now: Digital Fasting

By now most people have at least heard the term intermittent fasting with as many as 10% of the American population having tried it directly. A newer trend on the horizon in the world of fasting is that of digital fasting. Exactly as it sounds, the participant voluntarily relinquishes use of digital technology (e.g. a smartphone) or a function of technology (e.g. social media) for a given range of time. Traditional fasting allows for key bodily systems to recalibrate and focus on optimization in the absence of consumption. The same is thought to be true for digital fasting. The basis being that a break from digital consumption would allow the brain and nervous system to “detox”.

Why is this a trending hot topic? Over 90% of the population in the US has a smartphone. 81% of Americans over 18 use social media – and not just occasionally. The average person opens their various social media apps 159 times every day and spends about 2.5 hours scrolling. Often referred to as “doom scrolling”, is it a coincidence that some studies have shown that up to 43% of those who use social media regularly also report depression directly related to its use (i.e. news headlines and political discord can lead to anxiety and tension)? Globally rates of anxiety and depression are skyrocketing, and we seem to be aware there is a clear connection between the amount of time we spend on our phones and our mental health. The push for mental health as a priority has been gaining momentum in the last several years. More and more people are seeking self-care to combat the daily stresses of everyday life. It seems that traditional recreational activities such as board games and playing at the park are gaining a much-needed resurgence considering these recent trends. In the book, The Tech-wise Family by, Andy Crouch, he mentions the critical difference between rest and leisure. He goes on to explain that rest is restorative, but not always sedentary. Whereas leisure is more of a fruitless respite. We need a balance of productive work and beneficial rest. However, more and more of us are tipping the scales in the direction of endless toil and less and less genuine rest. So, how can we tip the scales back in a more favorable way?

The benefits of digital fasting:

• Enhanced mental health, including better mood and self-awareness.
• Improved physical health, including more restful sleep and improved eye strain.
• Increased productivity, including improved focus on tasks and better efficiency.
• Better life balance, including deeper relationships with loved ones and more times for hobbies and activities.

Digital technology has an important place in society, and we know it isn’t going away any time soon. We also know that over-exposure is creating an alarming shockwave of negativity, and we are only just now beginning to grasp the breadth of its reach. It’s possible that moderating our usage by taking breaks will allow not only ourselves to reestablish much needed peace and calm in our own lives, but perhaps it will ripple throughout the communities we live in, allowing us as a society to enjoy technology, but to stay connected in the way that truly matters.

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Contributing Expert Author

Samantha Reeves, M.A.

Samantha has over 25 years of experience in the field of child development. She has worked in all manner of professions as they relate to children including beginning her career as a floater teacher with 3 units, to a multisite center regional director, and most recently, a professor in the Child and Adolescent Studies department at CSUF.

Samantha earned her B.S. at Cal State Fullerton in the same department she would later instruct in. She has a M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University where she focused her research on attachment theory and attachment related disorders.

Samantha lives in Anaheim Hills with her husband and 4 children. She recently made the decision to put her teaching career on pause to stay home with her kids, but plans to return to the classroom in some format in the future.