The Glimmer in the Dark

It is 11:00 PM. The lights are out, signaling a time for your body and mind to rest. Yet, is your face still illuminated by the blue light of your phone screen? “Just five more minutes,” you tell yourself. But as your fingertips scroll, time slips away quietly. You look up again, and it is 1:00 AM. You wake up the next day with dry eyes, a heavy head, and an inexplicable sense of anxiety.

In this era of hyper-connectivity, digital devices—computers, communication tools, and consumer electronics—have given us the world, but they seem to have stolen our ability to live in the moment. If you feel “inseparable” from your phone, rest assured, you are not alone. This article will help you assess your current situation and reclaim control over your life.

A Familiar Scene: Are You a Member of the “Heads-Down” Club?

Before discussing screen addiction, let’s close our eyes and imagine. Do these scenarios frequently appear in your life?

• The Silence at the Dinner Table: Family or friends are gathered together, sitting side by side, yet everyone is looking down, replying to messages or scrolling through feeds. The only sounds are chewing and fingers tapping on glass.
• Disconnect Panic: When your battery drops below 20%, or you forget your phone at home, you feel your heart race and become restless, as if you have lost contact with the world.
• The Bedtime Ritual: You are exhausted, yet you feel uncomfortable sleeping until you have cleared every red notification dot on social media, leading to poor sleep quality.
• Phantom Vibrations: Your phone didn’t ring, but you swear you felt it buzz in your pocket, or you find yourself unconsciously unlocking the screen to check it.

If you found yourself nodding along to these scenes, this may be a signal from your body and mind: We need a Digital Detox.

Why Can’t We Stop?

It is not because of weak willpower. Modern apps are designed with mechanisms—such as “infinite scroll” feeds and bright red notification dots—specifically to stimulate the brain to secrete Dopamine, giving us fleeting pleasure and satisfaction.

For younger generations, this is often FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) at work—a deep fear of missing a trending topic. For middle-aged adults, it is often an escape hatch from work stress and daily chores. However, in the long run, this habit leads to eye strain and stiff shoulders, and it weakens our focus and real-world relationships.

5 Micro-Actions to Regain the Warmth of Life

Change doesn’t have to happen all at once. We can start with simple habits to slowly find the tangible sense of living.

1. Create a “No-Phone Zone”

• Method: Agree that the dining table and the bedroom are forbidden areas for phones.
• Benefit: Focus on the present moment while eating, enjoying the food and interaction; allow your brain to truly shut down when sleeping.

2. Set to “Grayscale Mode”

• Method: Change your phone’s display settings to black and white (grayscale).
• Benefit: The brain’s craving for bright colors decreases, returning the phone to its essence as a “tool” and reducing mindless scrolling.

3. Practice the 20-20-20 Rule

• Method: For every 20 minutes of screen use, look at something 20 feet (about 6 meters) away for at least 20 seconds.
• Benefit: This is the relaxation method most recommended by ophthalmologists to effectively relieve computer vision syndrome and eye fatigue.

4. Rediscover Tactile Sensation

• Method: Reserve 30 minutes of “non-digital time” every day. Read a paper book, water the plants, write in a journal by hand, or simply daydream.
• Benefit: Touching real objects helps the brain switch modes and reduces anxiety.

5. Turn Off Non-Essential Notifications

• Method: Except for calls and urgent messages, turn off all push notifications for social media and games.
• Benefit: You take the initiative to retrieve information rather than being passively bombarded by it, reclaiming your attention.

Technology is a Tool; Living is the Goal

We don’t need to completely abandon digital products; after all, they bring convenience. What we need is to find a balance between being “Online” and “Offline.” Tonight, try leaving your phone charging in the living room and taking a book into your bedroom! You will find that a night without blue light makes for sweeter dreams.

Further Reading
Is Your Child Addicted to Phones and Games? Dealing with Lack of Motivation in School

3 Must-Learn Tips for Office Workers to Relieve Neck and Shoulder Pain!

How Blue Light Damages Your Skin!