Talking digital detox and mental health with University of Minnesota

The holiday season is meant to bring rest and celebration, but it often becomes stressful as we rush through to-dos, check off lists and even lose sight of what actually matters to us. Any change in routine — even if invited — can stir emotions and demand extra mental energy. Technology and artificial intelligence has the potential to support, but also undermine our intentions, depending on how intentionally we navigate them. 

Sabine Schmid, Ph.D., with the University of Minnesota Medical School, discusses why intentionally disconnecting from electronic devices, AI and all things virtual this season may support our mental health, and how reconnecting with people, nature and the physical world can help us feel more grounded and human.

Q: Why do so many people feel drawn to “unplug” during the holidays?

Dr. Schmid: The seductive allure of digital tools, while undeniably enriching, is also subtly drawing us away from our bodies, our relationships and the physical world right in front of us. Holidays interrupt our routines, and that disruption gives us a chance to notice just how much of our daily life is mediated by screens and digital notifications. Many of us spend the year immersed in virtual spaces — constantly reachable, constantly stimulated, unaware of the consequences, until we can suddenly realize something’s gone missing.

Humans evolved in physical environments: in contact with other people, nature, touch, movement, shared meals and shared silence. When the gap between our digital life and our physical life becomes too wide, it creates tension. The desire to unplug isn’t a rejection of technology; it’s our nervous system signaling a need to reduce certain inputs for optimal functioning.

Q: What are your tips for disconnecting from electronic devices without creating new stress?

Dr. Schmid: It’s helpful to start with intention rather than strict rules. Instead of saying “no screens at all,” try identifying what you hope to gain: more presence with loved ones, a calmer mind, time outdoors or simply relief from constant alerts.

Then consider small, manageable steps:

• Designate short “device-free windows” each day.
• Leave your phone in another room during meals or conversations.
• Replace one digital habit with a physical one: a walk, a puzzle, a handwritten card or cooking with someone.

If you feel anxious without your devices, that’s normal. It signals how intertwined our tools have become with our routines. By approaching unplugging with curiosity rather than judgment, you create space for choice rather than deprivation.

Q: How can reconnecting with the physical world support mental well-being during the holidays?

Dr. Schmid: Our bodies are constantly sending us information — through breath, temperature, muscle tension and sensory input. When we spend most of our time in digital environments, we stop noticing these signals. Reconnecting with the physical world reactivates our senses and grounds us in something real and stable.

Being in nature, touching snow or soil, listening to wind or voices instead of notifications — these experiences calm our physiological stress systems. Sharing physical space with others reminds us that relationships are built through eye contact, tone of voice and shared activity. Even simple tasks like cooking, decorating or taking a walk invite our minds back into our bodies. Presence is a physical act, not just a mental intention.

Q: What advice do you have for people who feel lonely or disconnected in an increasingly digital world?

Dr. Schmid: Loneliness often feels sharper at the holidays because we expect closeness — and the contrast can be painful. Technology can help us stay connected, but it can also create a sense of distance if it replaces embodied, in-person moments.

My advice is to reconnect with something physical, even if it feels small: reach out to one person in real time, take a walk in a familiar neighborhood, visit a public space like a library or café or join a community activity. Being around others — even strangers — helps remind us that we exist in a shared physical world.

It’s also important to allow yourself the full range of emotions that holidays bring. Loneliness isn’t a sign of failure; it’s a signal that connection matters deeply to us. And connection doesn’t always require words — sometimes it’s found in shared silence, shared space or shared experience.

Q: How does your academic work at the University of Minnesota inform your clinical perspective on unplugging and reconnecting with the physical world?

Dr. Schmid: In the mood disorders program at the University of Minnesota Medical School, we explore, study and apply a variety of exciting and innovative interventions for depression. The detrimental effects of chronic stress and social isolation on our mental and physical health are well established. A significant part of my work focuses on evidence-based, mindfulness-based and cognitive-behavioral approaches — all of which return people to the present moment and to their physical environment.

Research consistently shows that time in nature, in-person connection, sensory grounding and mindful attention reduce symptoms of stress and depression. None of these require technology; they require presence.

Unplugging during the holidays isn’t about rejecting innovation — it’s about remembering that our bodies and brains are built for real-world contact. When we reconnect with the physical, we reconnect with our humanness.

Dr. Sabine Schmid is a clinical psychologist and associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Her education mission centers around empirically validated team-based patient care, interprofessional learning, and mentorship of trainees across disciplines.

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About the University of Minnesota Medical School

The University of Minnesota Medical School is at the forefront of learning and discovery, transforming medical care and educating the next generation of physicians. Our graduates and faculty produce high-impact biomedical research and advance the practice of medicine. We acknowledge that the University of Minnesota Medical School is located on traditional, ancestral and contemporary lands of the Dakota and the Ojibwe, and scores of other Indigenous people, and we affirm our commitment to tribal communities and their sovereignty as we seek to improve and strengthen our relations with tribal nations. Learn more at med.umn.edu.