Unplug and Enter Your Dreamworld

Dear Fabulous Traveler,

Did you know there’s a virtual world more vibrant than any you’ll find online?

In it, you can be anyone and do anything. You can experience any adventure that your mind can conjure, and no matter how perilous the risks within your virtual world, you remain perfectly safe at all times.

Best of all, it’s completely free and the entire experience takes place while your mind and body rejuvenate. All you have to do to get there is close your eyes and drift off into a world of dreams.

Disconnect and Unplug

You can’t begin to appreciate your inner dream world if you’re glued to your phone screen, immersed in another virtual reality that prevents you from sleeping.

To create a stress-free sleeping environment, it makes sense to keep your work laptop out of the bedroom. But if you use your phone or tablet for entertainment and to access social media platforms, you might wonder what the harm is. However, heavy social media use has been directly linked to poor sleep and even enjoyable content is still too stimulating right before bed (Scott H et al. 2019.)

In addition, your device emits blue light which suppresses the sleep hormone, melatonin, in the brain making you less alert the next day and interferes with your normal circadian rhythms.

Even if you avoid the temptation of scrolling into the wee hours, keeping your phone in the bedroom can still disrupt your sleep patterns. Noisy notifications or just the buzz of a vibrating alert can disturb your REM sleep even if they don’t completely wake you up.

Reserve your sleeping environment solely for rest and relaxation and commit to quality sleep by disconnecting and unplugging tonight.

This Week’s Plan

Your Goal

Every night this week you’ll add another layer to your bedtime routine by turning off your devices at least 30 minutes before your bedtime. Stop scrolling through your phone, responding to status updates, or watching videos. Instead try:

• Reading
• Journaling
• Drawing
• Meditating
• Stretching
• Listening to music
• Or snuggling with a pet

Your one-time action

Create a charging zone in another room.

Your phone can recharge at night while you do the same, but it shouldn’t be in the same room.

Make sure you have a spot where you can plug in your device but where it won’t disturb you during the night. This will also help you have a stress-free morning instead of doom scrolling while you’re still in bed. If you need the alarm function on your phone, pick up a cheap and basic alarm clock instead that doesn’t connect to the internet.

What We Are Doing

Fabulous Traveler, you have created a bedtime routine that helps prepare both your mind and body for sleep. You’ve re-designed your environment to reduce noise and light pollution and to create a restful sanctuary from the world outside.

This week you’re disconnecting and unplugging from the digital world so that you can focus on total relaxation.

Enjoy your trip into the virtual reality of your dreams!