Digital Detox: 6 Ways to Help Unplug

Working & learning remotely has many of us hunkered down in front of tv, tablet, laptop & phone screens more than ever before. Although it may not be feasible to eliminate screen time altogether, there are many reasons why we should power down throughout the day, especially for families with young children.

Research shows that too much screen time can have harmful effects on children's health & development. Here are just some of the findings:

• Communication Skills—More screen time means less human time. Face-to-face interactions are essential for children to learn how to recognize non-verbal cues like facial expressions & body language.

• Sleep—The artificial light from screens can disrupt the natural sleep cycle & lead to insomnia.

• Language—Longer screen times have been linked to language delays, limited vocabularies, & lower test scores.

• Obesity—In addition to the sedentary nature of screen time, research shows that children consume an additional 167 calories with every hour of television they watch.

So what can we do to recharge, take control & set a good example? Here are 6 ways help digitally detox:

1. Use timers. When the timer goes off, tv's & tablets should go off as well.

2. Get outdoors. Make getting outside a priority. Take walks, ride bikes, play a game of catch... anything that gets your mind clear & body moving.

3. Make mindful choices. DVR your favorite programs & only watch them during your set window of time. For younger children, choose programing that is interactive, encouraging sing-alongs, dancing, drawing & forming letter sounds.

4. Plan "no device" days. Mark your calendars for days without devices. Take a family day trip, try a new activity, or stay in & bake batches of cookies.

5. Set a digital curfew. Turn screens off one or two hours before bedtime to begin the process of quieting minds for sleep.

6. Make bedrooms "no screen" zones. Some estimates find that up to 40 percent of children ages 4–6 have a tv in their bedroom, which leads to more screen time & less restful sleep. Removing tv's from bedrooms means more & better sleep for everyone.