It’s safe to say our lives are ruled by screens. We use them to communicate, pay bills, shop, and for entertainment. We wake up to them and they’re the last thing most of us look at every night. Which leaves us thinking, would you benefit from a digital detox?

According to a study, the average Brit checks their phone every 12 minutes, which is a staggering 600 times a day. But why are we checking them so often? The most likely answer, FOMO, or ‘Fear Of Missing Out’ if you’re not fluent in teenager. We’ve convinced ourselves that the world might just fall apart if that phone call’s gone to voicemail or you haven’t responded to those dreaded emails yet.

"The average Brit checks their phone every 12 minutes"

With regular articles bombarding us with the dangers of smartphones on our wellbeing; it’s no wonder more of us have decided to put the phone down and take part in a ‘digital detox’ and now big businesses are also getting involved in the smartphone ban. London City airport was offering a free dumb phone to travellers which can only make and receive calls. The scheme was designed to regain quality moments with family and friends as well as reducing digital distraction. But is it worth it to limit our use or even abandon screens completely?

By breaking up with your phone and encouraging those around you to do the same, you’ll start to notice how much more time you have. Your evenings will seem longer and suddenly you’ll have some extra free time to be doing something more productive than stalking your ex’s holiday photos from 2009. Why not take up a new hobby with all your extra time? Try joining a yoga class to achieve ultimate zen.

"You'll start to notice how more much time you have"

Although not being able to update your followers with your latest brunch hangout may seem like a nightmare, you’ll soon start to realise just how much time we spend looking at other people’s lives. Arguably, social media is one of the main reasons most of us take part in a digital detox in the first place, on average we own 7.6 social media accounts, no wonder we’re all glued to our phones when we have to keep track of 7 accounts at once.

"On average we own 7.6 social media accounts"

While you may not necessarily receive loud notifications in the middle of the night, smartphones can still disrupt your sleep by emitting a blue light which suppresses melatonin, this makes it more difficult to fall and stay asleep. By not looking at your phone before you go to sleep or even keeping your phone out of the bedroom, your sleep will be much more restful.

Feel stressed? It may not just be because of that looming deadline. According to recent studies, our technology is a big contributor to stress, particularly in young people. Because technology is constantly evolving, we feel accountable for keeping up with the newest software. By continuously adapting our methods and skills, we are becoming more and more stressed. Abandoning technology for a short time will allow you to forget about buying the latest smartphone.