In this special series, guest writer Dr Libby Weaver shares her health insights. This week, she’s focusing on the impact our devices have on our wellbeing.
In our modern world, most of us are tethered to our screens. From the moment we wake and reach for our phones to check
Screens have become our constant companions, our sources of information, entertainment and connection. Yet, while they have given us incredible access to knowledge and, in some ways, community, they also come at a cost – to our attention, our sleep, our digestion and even our ability to truly rest and daydream.
So many people tell me they feel constantly distracted, unable to concentrate the way they once could. This is not simply a lack of willpower. Each ring, ping and notification lights up the reward centres in your brain, delivering tiny hits of dopamine that keep you hooked.
Over time, this constant drip of stimulation rewires the brain’s pathways, making it harder to sustain focus on a single task. Think about the last time you sat down to read a book or focus on a project: did you feel the impulse to check your phone, even if nothing was happening? That twitch towards distraction is the direct result of constant screen use. We are training our brains to expect interruption, and in doing so, we rob ourselves of the deep concentration that allows us to think clearly, perhaps create meaningfully, and truly immerse ourselves in what we are doing.
Screens also disrupt another vital pillar of health: sleep. The body’s internal clock is governed by light, and the heavily blue-based light emitted from screens signals to your brain that it is daytime, even after the sun has set.
Bright light prevents the production of melatonin, the hormone that helps you fall and stay asleep. You may find yourself lying awake, mind buzzing, or waking unrefreshed, no matter how many hours you spent in bed. This isn’t just about feeling groggy. Deep, restorative sleep is when your brain consolidates memories, your body repairs tissues and your hormones recalibrate. Without it, every other aspect of health – from your mood to your immunity to metabolism – can be compromised.
Another way screens can interfere with our wellbeing is through digestion. When you eat in front of a screen – whether scrolling your phone, watching television or working on a laptop – your nervous system can too easily shift into a state where gut function is less supported.
Optimal digestion requires the body to be in “rest and digest” mode, where blood flow is well directed to the stomach and intestines. Yet when your attention is elsewhere, chewing is too easily rushed or incomplete, you swallow more air, what you’re watching might promote a stress response, and the body does not secrete digestive enzymes as efficiently. The result can be bloating, indigestion, nutrient malabsorption and a sense that food is “just sitting there”.
Many people believe they have digestive issues when, in fact, their bodies are simply struggling to digest meals consumed in a distracted or heightened state. By eating without screens, you give your body the chance to extract the nourishment your food was always intended to provide.
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Advertise with NZME.Beyond these physical impacts, constant screen use can also affect our emotional wellbeing. Social media, with its carefully curated highlight reels, can fuel comparison and feelings of inadequacy. The endless news cycle can leave us anxious or despairing, particularly when fed a stream of crises we worry we can do little about.
Even the simple act of filling every quiet moment with scrolling means we lose the ability to be present with our own thoughts and feelings, solve problems, notice a tree outside and feel grateful it exists and daydream. Silence and stillness are profoundly nourishing for the nervous system, yet many of us no longer give ourselves the chance to experience them.
The good news is that the benefits of reducing screen time are almost immediate. When you create boundaries with your devices, you reclaim space for your mind, body and spirit to reset. Concentration improves as the brain relearns how to focus. Sleep deepens when you swap the glow of a screen for a book or a warm bath before bed. Digestion strengthens when meals are eaten with awareness rather than distraction. Mood lightens when comparison is replaced with connection to the people and places around you.
So how can you begin? Start small. Try a screen-free meal each day, where you eat without your phone, laptop or television. Notice how different the food tastes when all of your senses are fully engaged.
Set a cut-off time in the evening when screens are put away and create a bedtime ritual that signals safety and calm to your nervous system. Perhaps it’s dimming the lights, a cup of herbal tea, some gentle stretches or writing down the day’s thoughts so they don’t swirl in your mind overnight.
Turn off notifications so your focus isn’t hijacked by constant pings.
If the idea of a full digital detox feels daunting, carve out a few hours each weekend where you leave your phone behind and immerse yourself in nature, conversation or a creative pursuit. These small acts accumulate, lightening the burden on your nervous system and giving your body the chance to restore its natural rhythms.
Remember, screens themselves are not the enemy. They are tools, and like any tool, their impact depends on how we use them. By reclaiming moments of quiet, presence and rest away from devices, you create space for your body to do what it was designed to do – focus deeply, sleep restoratively, digest efficiently and experience the expansiveness and gratitude that arises inside a gentle moment of pause.
A digital detox is not about deprivation; it is about giving yourself the gift of presence, connection and vitality. And in a world that never seems to switch off, that might be the most nourishing reset of all.
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Advertise with NZME.Dr Libby Weaver PhD is a nutritional biochemist, 13 times bestselling author and international keynote speaker. For more on supporting yourself through stressful periods visit Drlibby.com
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