Here at Refreshing Mountain, we believe in the power of unplugging from technology and enjoying the world of nature around us. You will notice, in fact, if you stay in one of our cabins there is no television. It may seem odd or uncomfortable at first, but you will notice how relaxing it is when you don’t have as many distractions.
When you arrive at our facility, we would love to challenge you with this: Unplug COMPLETELY when you are here—no phone, no computer, no technology except for turning on lights. It will be of great benefit, and here are five reasons (among many) as to why:
Improved Sleep
If you stare at blue light screens all day (your computer monitors, laptops, phones, etc.) and you struggle with sleeping, these two separate entities may correlate. The blue light from the screens you use can suppress your levels of melatonin during the night, which may make you feel more “wired” (as people say) at night. On top of this, it is easy to become distracted and lose track of time, and you may stay awake until 4am just watching your show without realizing how much time has passed by! There have been several great studies on this by the Sleep Foundation and Harvard that I would recommend taking a look at for more information.
When you decrease your screen time, you may see a change in how well you sleep, especially if you do your best to stay off technology for more than 24 hours—even a couple of days is of great benefit! You will notice a huge difference in your circadian rhythm if you continually verge away from technology use every evening.
Connection with Friends and Family
Although our phones are great for connecting with people all over the world, it’s easy to lose touch with those who are right beside us. Take the time to play games with your family or go ziplining with friends. Even better—start a conversation with someone you don’t know! Remember: strangers are friends you just haven’t met.
Sincerely, though, connecting with people is one of the absolute best ways to keep your mind and your heart healthy. Don’t lose what you have with people because you never noticed the little things about them—details you would miss if you only saw their picture on social media.
Peace
Let’s face it—out there is a world full of chaos. The news, your Instagram feed—anywhere you can find news there is always something going wrong. When you turn off the TV, take some time to find the precious moments and peace. Take some time alone and unplugged, enjoying the silence or even the moments with just you and your family.
Seeing the World Around You
When your nose is buried in a screen, it’s easy to lose sight of how beautiful the world around us is. If it’s in a bustling city full of people or out in the forest in the middle of nowhere, everywhere you go has something to offer. Take advantage of being at Refreshing Mountain, where there really is a lot to explore and to enjoy. If you want a more hands-on experience, I recommend trying out some of our activities like ziplining, hiking or the Wildlife Center.
Time
This should be an obvious reason, but you do save time when you turn off technology. There isn’t any social media, movies or shows, or texting to distract you. It’s a great way to maximize your time when you focus on something you want to do rather than checking your phone every five minutes. You have 24 hours in a day. Think about how much time you could use to do something awesome or educational versus using that time checking Facebook.
I personally challenge you to take advantage of the idea of unplugging and see how it benefits you in the long run. Of course, most of the world is on the computer today, but it’s great to see the world around you rather than only what’s on your screen.