Why You Need a Digital Detox & Where to Get One

If you think you’re spending too much time staring at screens (and you probably are) here’s where you need to head for a digital detox.

In a world where our lives are increasingly dominated by screens, constant notifications, and endless streams of information, the idea of a digital detox has never been more appealing – or necessary. Whether it’s the relentless buzz of work emails, the never-ending scroll of social media, or the compulsion to check news updates at all hours, our dependence on digital devices is not just shaping our routines, but also impacting our mental and physical health.

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“A digital detox can be 30 minutes, a few hours or a whole day or weekend off tech,” says Nick Kuh, developer of the Mute app. “My time is precious to me, and I regularly feel that there just aren’t enough hours in the average day. Life is so busy when you’re constantly connected. It’s important to take time out to stay sane and I find that switching off all distractions leads to me being more focused and getting shit done.”

He’s not alone. Studies have shown excessive time on smartphones and social media can lead to depression and loneliness while also being detrimental to your physical health and sleep patterns.

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Enter the digital detox, a conscious effort to unplug and re-engage with the world around us. For the modern man, understanding the importance of stepping away from technology is crucial for maintaining balance, productivity, and overall well-being. It’s about rediscovering the joys of the offline world and finding a healthier relationship with the digital one.

So, if you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the constant connectivity, it’s time to consider a digital detox and rediscover what it truly means to live in the moment.

Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle

If you need to change frequencies and cut that phone addiction, make for Northern Thailand, where the Four Seasons Tented Camp offers the perfect digital escape. The resort’s exclusive Digital Detox Retreat is a perfect blend of nature, luxury, and tranquility that promises to disconnect you from digital distractions and reconnect you with the wonders of the natural world.

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The experience includes a culinary showdown, during which you’ll join a resort chef for a hands-on cooking class where you can learn to prepare traditional Thai dishes. You’ll also have the chance to explore the verdant jungles on a guided hike that not only challenges the body but also soothes the mind; and indulge in spa treatments that utilise locally-sourced, organic ingredients and oils, designed to harmonise and rejuvenate.

The retreat also includes a chance to ‘go local’, during which you’ll immerse yourself in the local culture with experiences like ‘Dine Like a Local’, where you can taste authentic regional flavours, participate in traditional crafts, or join a local coffee tasting session, sans selfies.

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Capella Ubud

Luxury resort Capella Ubud in Bali has created the Confined to Quarters programme, which allows you to temporarily disconnect from the outside world and reconnect with your loved one with 24 hours of absolute indulgence, from sunrise to sunrise. Begin your morning with a Yin and Yang yoga on your private deck, followed by an in-tent breakfast where you can greet the dawn in style. You’ll then align those pesky chakras with a resident guru, before a restful lunch in your suite.

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By dusk it’s time for a Senja Sunyi Massage, delivered with gently heated river stones, and a complete bath ritual. You’ll finish off with a camp-inspired dinner, on your tent’s private deck, tailored by the resort’s culinary team. The next morning, start fresh with a purification ritual at the nearby Wos Beji River temple.

After being 24-hour confined in your quarter, you will experience Balinese cleansing ritual in the Beji, an ancient spring of rejuvenating holy water just footsteps from mystical Wos River. Dressed in traditional Balinese attire, you’ll experience a spiritual cleansing ritual called “Melukat”, which aims to achieve self-purification for both body and soul.

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Dressed in traditional Balinese attire, you will be guided through chanting and offerings by a local priest. At the end of the ritual you will be given a lucky charm bracelet “Tridatu” as a symbol of the three deities – Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer.

Hoshinoya Tokyo

Japan hotel brand Hoshinoya has also made a name for itself with its innovative digital detox programmes, available at all the group’s ultra-luxe properties nationwide. For example, the digital detox stay at Hoshinoya Tokyo is a one-night, two-day program where guests can immerse themselves in swordsmanship, which draws its roots from Japan’s Edo period and helps clear away all unnecessary thoughts.

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The detox programme includes a morning meditation session held in a quiet room where breathing, posture, and the mind will be adjusted while you breathe in aromatic Agarwood, followed by a Kenjutsu practice session with a master of the Geki Kenkai school of Hokushin Ittoryu, a type of long-sword martial arts.

After slicing and dicing, you’ll be able to soak your troubles away during a pre-sleep oil treatment that focuses on the head, neck, and shoulders and is designed to not only relieve fatigue from your martial arts practice but also any stiffness and fatigue due to the prolonged use of digital devices. There’s also time for a soak in the natural Otemachi hot springs, located on the hotel’s 17th floor, and a full-course Nippon Cuisine dinner that showcases seasonal ingredients from Japan’s rich nature and French culinary techniques – complete with Japanese tea pairing.

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Chiva-Som Hua Hin

One of the most recognised wellness resorts in Asia, Chiva-Som Hua Hin in Thailand also offers digital detox retreats for the urban weary. With the focus on the removal of perpetual attention seeking distractions (they call them ‘micros-stressors’), allowing guests to be present moment and enjoy uninterrupted time to relax and rejuvenate.

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Aspects of the digital detox programme include guided meditation to allow you to centre your mind and achieve some of that sweet inner peace; yoga sessions catering to all skill levels; fitness activities to help you whip up a sweat and get your mind off work; mindful activities, and even Non-Sleep Deep Rest practices to help you reach a state of deep relaxation without nodding off.

If things are a little more serious and you’re really burning the proverbial candle, the resort’s in-house practitioners can suggest a course of supplements, coupled with a nutrition programme, to help you get yourself back on track without the need for screen time. You’ll be aligned, reconnected and feeling like a million dollars in no time.

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ZULal Wellness Resort

If you’re looking to take your digital detox a little further afield, Chiva-Som’s sister property in Qatar, ZULal Wellness, also offers comprehensive digital detox programming. Designed to help you ‘disconnect to reconnect’, the resort’s pioneering Digitial detox concept restricts the use of phones and digital equipment (outside the guest room) and instead focuses on inspiring guests to reconnect with families, nature and themselves through myriad tailor-made activities and therapies.

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After a comprehensive review by the resort’s in-house practitioners, designed to understand your holistic and physical needs, you’ll be able to opt in for a wide range of activities ranging from spa treatments – many of which incorporate the principles of Traditional Arabic Islamic Medicine (TAIM) – to guided fitness workouts, swimming, hiking and mindfulness sessions. And don’t worry, despite being at a wellness resort you won’t have to starve yourself as nutritious spa cuisine catering to your specific health needs is on hand.