Sconnessi day: 22 February day without Internet

Mtexts, chats, phone calls, emails: now in everyday life not being connected means being out of touch with the world, even if it is increasingly being demonstrated that all this connection is not at all good for your health, especially mental health. Because of this February 22nd is celebrated world S-connection day, to rediscover life offline by spending a day without the internet. Just thinking about it today may seem like an impossible task, yet this is precisely the challenge proposed every year by the day: being able to spend 24 hours away from screens.

Why S-connessi day is celebrated

The objective of this day is precisely to raise awareness towards a correct use of electronic devicesespecially the younger ones who are among the most at-risk targets. Sconnessi Day was born in 2018 after the release of the film “Sconnessi” by Christian Marazziti, in which the problem of smartphone addiction was explored with irony And from the nomophobia, i.e. the fear of being out of mobile network contact. This latter phenomenon is much more widespread than one might think and causes real obsessions such as the fear that the phone will run out of battery and thus become unreachable. This, however, is not only a problem that concerns younger people, but also users between 35 and 44 years old, with an average of 93.4%.

S-connected Day, how many benefits

Like all addictions, it is difficult to break them and this happens even when it is just for one day: this does not mean that it cannot be done, however, especially if the result is a benefit for our brain. There are many alternatives to disconnect from the usual digital routine and they are the same ones used to distract yourself and rest from work or daily commitments.

From walks to meditation

For example, you could decide to spend a day immersed in nature. Several studies show that a walk in the greenery it helps reduce tension, regulate sleep and keep fit, so why not do it by leaving your smartphone at home and breathing the clean air also from messages and notifications?

If you are capable, because not everyone can, you could think about meditation. Reading can also prove to be an interesting activity: reading a good book, in fact, relaxes but stimulates the mind and improves concentration. Still making a commitment to do some more eventful activity, like going to a museum or an event.

Use technology, don’t be dependent on it

Technology has extraordinary potential but when it turns into abuse of the internet and smartphones then it can no longer do any good. The average time each person spends connected to the internet today is 6 hours and 4 minutes, but it is now scientifically proven that this has consequences on health, leading to real pathologies. And this data does not only include young people, but also the adult population, from 18 to 65 years old. The Internet helps and simplifies life for many things and this is also why it becomes difficult to do without it.

The health consequences

But so we end up spending more hours in front of the light of a digital screen than looking at the sunlight and this inevitably has consequences for our health. The eyes get tired constantly staring at the light of a screen, the unnatural posture in the long run it can give us stiff neck, back pain and even headaches. Without considering the fact that artificial light sources inhibit the production of melatoninthe hormone that makes us sleep well: which is why those who use the phone or watch TV before going to bed will have more difficulty falling asleep or having quality sleep.

What to do to reduce the damage

All this does not mean that you should no longer use the Internet, but you just need to learn to use smartphones and computers in a truly “smart” way, exploiting their potential without compromising relationships and health.

Halving those six hours and four minutes is not impossible. And who knows, we might find ourselves a little less stressed and a little happier.

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