What Happens to People During Digital Detox: An Experiment in the Moroccan Desert

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Thirty-five people, whose lives are inextricably linked with mobile devices and the Internet, spent four days on an absolute digital diet. And this produced some interesting results.

This unusual experiment was decided by Kate Unsworth, head of Kovert Designs, which develops smart jewelry. The company's product line includes rings and pendants that make modern technologies less intrusive and more invisible, helping to find a balance between digital and real life. Jewelry is synchronized with a smartphone and only informs its owner about some notifications from the most important contacts. Thus, they free a person from uncontrolled viewing of each event, leaving more time for the realization of their creative potential.

Over the two years of its existence, Kovert Designs has attracted considerable interest from investors. A high-quality product with an up-to-date ideology is at odds with a bang, although Kate herself does not get hung up on sales. She sees her company as a research center that studies people's digital habits and their impact on our lives. Most of the company - neuroscientists, psychologists and philosophers - is figuring out how technology is changing people's bodies and behavior.

Keith Unsworth CEO of Kovert Designs

Reading studies on the negative impact of technology on human life convinced me to act. Not just pulling people out of gadgets from time to time, but striving to change established social values and etiquette.

With these thoughts in mind, the 29-year-old British woman invited 35 directors and entrepreneurs to travel to Morocco, where they were to feel the separation from civilization. Five neurophysiologists secretly watched everything that happened.

On the first day of the trip, the participants got to know each other in a prestigious hotel, where they had free access to smartphones.

The group spent the next four days in the Moroccan desert in complete digital detoxification. Scientists have observed every aspect of human behavior. They closely studied facial expressions, physical movements, and the subjects' communication with each other. And here's what we managed to spy on.

Improving posture and strengthening relationships

After three days of digital abstinence, people's posture improved markedly. The participants stopped lowering their heads to their smartphone screens and began to look ahead. The upper body was opened, the shoulders were extended, and the spine was straightened. Increased eye contact contributed to a closer acquaintance. During conversations, people relaxed and treated each other more attentively.

Improved communication

The separation from the search engines has greatly changed the course of conversations. These days, people rush to Google for answers to the smallest questions without hesitation. Usually the line of exchange of opinions is interrupted at this point. Without internet access, the subjects continued to share their thoughts on the voiced topic, which often escalated into jokes, role-playing games, and entertaining stories. The more conversations, the stronger the interpersonal ties. Participants began to understand how other people's thoughts are formed. Communication has become non-standard, exciting and memorable.

Improving memory

Even after a couple of days without technology, subjects began to more often remember secondary details about each other, for example, the names of distant relatives, who were mentioned in passing during dialogues. According to scientists, the full participation of people in the conversation helped their brain to process and memorize new information easier.

Gadgets have weaned us off storing data that at first glance seems insignificant. Although it is these little things that play an important role in building connections between people.

Better sleep

During the experiment, participants slept no longer than usual, but noted that they felt more rested and recovered in the morning. Neurologists explain that the blue color of the screens suppresses the production of melatonin, a hormone that makes it easier to fall asleep. This is echoed by other studies showing that checking your phone before bed has a negative impact on the quality of rest.

Improving perception of life

Even a short time spent offline helped the participants to reconsider their plans for the future. This was probably the most powerful result. Someone decided on changes in career or relationships, someone adjusted their views on health and sports. The absence of distractions allowed us to take a more objective look at our life and set priorities in it. A clear mind helped the participants to believe that they had the strength to transform.

Of course, the experiment does not pretend to be a comprehensive scientific research, it is too early to draw global conclusions. But many subjects noted that they liked the experience and were ready to say goodbye to gadgets at night and on weekends.

Do you agree with the benefits of digital detox?