Disconnecting yourself from social media can be beneficial in many ways. Now, before all of the millennials attack me – because let’s face it, social media is our main form of communication and our biggest platform – disconnecting can be really good for your mental, physical and spiritual health. Let me explain myself.

In order to connect with yourself spiritually (I can already feel your eye rolls, just give me a few minutes), you need quiet time with yourself. Whether it’s time to think about life, time to read or time to just listen to music and walk aimlessly on a beach (or side street, whichever fits your vibe). How are you supposed to do any of that if you’re stuck to your phone scrolling through social media? You can’t be ready when glued to your phone because I’m 99.9 percent sure that your multitasking skills are not that strong – don’t argue with me on this. You also can’t think about life when glued to social media because all you’ll be thinking about is someone else’s life, and sometimes not even that. You’re brain basically shuts off while scrolling social media, and you’re not processing anything… so how are you supposed to connect with yourself?

If you’re wondering how disconnecting from social media can help you physically, just try it for a day. To start, your thumb on your dominant hand will probably feel a lot better. Your head and eyes may also feel a lot better because you’re not staring at a bright screen for hours on end. If you decide to continue to disconnect from social media for more than a day, you might decide to entertain yourself by going out for a stroll or riding a bike. You may even go and sign up for a gym membership so you can start working on your New Year’s resolution. You might fall in love with being active and continue on this path. All because you put down your phone.

Lastly, social media can be very dangerous for those who struggle with their mental health. Ranging from pictures of skinny models to bullies who weren’t raised correctly, it can make a huge impact on someone. Even just seeing photos from someone and wondering if they have a better life than you may be harming you in some way. Disconnecting is a useful way to recharge yourself and only focus on you and your health. Don’t worry about the friends that look like they are doing better off, don’t worry about the pictures of skinny models, and don’t worry about anything else that may be affecting you. Disconnect, put the phone away or delete the app and focus on the most important thing, YOU.