I average about seven hours of sleep per night, and though I'm well aware that many of my friends get by on a lot less than this (hello motherhood), I dream of more shuteye.
I already follow all the wellness hacks surrounding sleep; regular bedtimes and no caffeine after midday, plus relaxing baths and generous sprays of pillow mist, but there's one sleep hygiene rule I never seem to stick to – no screen time before bed.
No matter when I hit the hay, I always scroll. Be it a last check of my emails, a quick peek at what my friends are doing on Instagram or a midnight WhatsApp chat, my phone is the ultimate sleep stealer, and I know that beaming that blue light into my eyes when I should be dozing off wreaks havoc on my circadian rhythm.
So, when Unplugged invited me on a three-night digital detox, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to try screen-free bedtime (and daytime), to see if it could help with my sleep.
What is Unplugged?
© @wheresmollie / weareglobaltravellers.comUnplugged offers three-night off-grid cabin escapes, which see you lock your phone in a box for the duration of your stay.
The cabins are in super-remote areas (I needed serious instructions to find the one I stayed in!), and are solar-powered, complete with log burners to keep cosy, firepits for BBQs and enough logs to keep you going for the duration of the day.
Unplugged says that a three-night digital detox has been scientifically proven to deliver physical and mental wellbeing benefits, including better sleep, productivity and increased brain creativity.
© Pasco.Photography"The main thing guests say when they leave is how relaxed and refreshed they feel," says Hector Hughes, co-founder of Unplugged, when I asked him what the benefits of an Unplugged stay are.
"Many of us haven't intentionally switched our phones off in years, so the freedom guests feel from being completely offline for three days is a new and rejuvenating experience.
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"People feel less stressed from the constant bombardment of notifications, which means they feel more creative and sleep a hell of a lot better.
"Before guests unplug, they can feel a little anxious but we've lost count of how many times people have told us they don't want to turn their phones back at the end of their detox because of how present and calm they felt.
"Their benefits don't end when they check out either - so many guests implement lifestyle changes off the back of their experience such as phone-free date nights, installing time limits on their phones and walking in nature more."
© @wheresmollie / weareglobaltravellers.comWhat happened when I unplugged?
1. I slept better
The first night I stayed in my cabin, I slept for a full 11 hours – numbers I haven't notched up since I was a teenager.
The cabin had ceiling-to-bed windows for incredible views of the surrounding countryside. I woke up at some point when a tiny slit of sunlight crept in around the blackout blinds, but without my phone by my side to check the time, I simply turned over and went back to sleep.
On a normal day, I'd tap my phone to see the time and immediately be met with notifications that I feel I *have* to address. And then, no matter the time, I'm wide awake.
With no phone to consult, I slept until 10:40 am, when I eventually checked the time – and those 11 hours felt incredibly restorative.
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2. I realised my attention span is terrible
I spent my digital detox days wandering the local countryside, reading books and listening to the radio. Sometimes I found myself reaching for my phone when I got to the end of the chapter, which made me realise what a bad habit I have for never giving books my full attention.
I also realised how reliant we are on phones to tell us the information we want straight away, but actually, that information is often needless and not urgent.
While at first I was frustrated I couldn't find things out immediately, I soon got used to it and realised I didn't actually need any of that info.
3. Evenings felt less rushed
One of the main takeaways from my Unplugged stay was how much longer my evenings felt without the time being divided up by episodes of television.
When I get home after work, I usually make dinner and then think to myself, 'I have time for one hour-long episode of TV before bed,' but without hour or half-hour-long episodes to slot in, my evenings felt infinitely longer and I felt like I made the most of them much more.
© Pasco.Photography4. I didn't want my phone back
When it was time to head home on Friday morning, I didn't immediately turn my phone back on, wary of the barrage of texts, Slacks and emails awaiting me.
The thought of all the correspondence felt overwhelming, and I realised my constant chatting with friends, 'just checking' Slack after work, and trying to get ahead of myself when it comes to emails were likely causing overwhelm.
Am I going to stay Unplugged?
Despite not wanting my phone back, I obviously did switch it back on and it's surprising how quickly I reverted back to checking my notifications constantly, even though I truly enjoyed not having it with me for those three nights.
The main impact I found from Unplugged was on my sleep, and I have been keeping my phone further from my bed, so I can't tap it the second I wake up. I realised that as long as I have an alarm set in the morning, there's no need for me to have my phone right next to me.
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I always remember a former colleague saying that when she gets home from work, she puts her phone in the other room with notifications on loud, to stop her from scrolling for no reason and help her be more present, and this is how I'm going to adapt my Unplugged experience at home.
I've been recommending an Unplugged stay to all of my friends with stressful jobs who struggle to switch off, even when they're on holiday.
Sure, any of us can choose to not check our phone anytime we want, but when you've made the commitment to yourself to travel somewhere and lock your devices in a box, even though you can unlock said box at any point, it feels like a commitment to yourself that you want to keep and I think we could all benefit from a little phone-free time.
