Tips On How To Do A Digital Detox: Expert Tips

Constantly seeing curated highlights of different people’s lives can result in comparability, self-doubt, and feelings of inadequacy. We understand that cell-phones serve a practical objective as nicely so this doesn’t have to mean eliminating your phone 24/7. It can simply mean you chorus from utilizing social media apps for a certain time period. Use customizable screen time apps to set time limits on how often you employ completely different apps or web sites. Some telephones also provide weekly stories to assist inform your use. It’s fairly nicely understood that sleep improves when you do not have a look at a display screen before bed.

Meanwhile, an array of research has proven the negative social and emotional effects of social media use. This article explains the impact of digital overload at work. It outlines sensible options to help you maximize the benefits of a digital detox within the workplace. It additionally paves the best way to minimizing the dangers to the health and well-being of your employees.

A key element to the success of any relationship is the time invested in it. Once you’ve determined and committed to detoxing from digital devices, you will find your self with extra time to spend money on real-life relationships. Whether that appears like a re-engagement in social actions or extra time with a significant different, the standard of your relationships will enhance.

In reality, these devices are just tools designed to make our lives easier. Social media often encourages unhealthy comparisons, fueling emotions of inadequacy, anxiety, and depression. When you’re taking a aware break, you protect your vanity and psychological well-being. Another sign your detox is working is that you just stop craving your units as usually. Instead of reaching in your telephone out of behavior, you start turning to quieter, more restorative routines.

Start with manageable changes, like a no-phone hour earlier than mattress or staying off social media in the morning. The wins will compound over time, and so will the sense of management. For instance, maybe you need to have the ability to comfortably spend no more than one hour a day in your cellphone, or you’d like to start going to the fitness center as a substitute of watching a lot TV. A 2021 evaluation states a digital detox may contain restricted use of certain kinds of purposes, branded media, or digital interactions. They counsel it should contain voluntary, intentional breaks from a single device, rather than all digital gadgets in a person’s possession. “The largest problem I confronted throughout this time was feeling overlooked of the loop.

The benefits of a digital detox are plentiful, together with increased productivity, improved focus, and reconnecting with actual life. However, it can be difficult as withdrawal signs, feeling of loneliness, and difficulty sustaining focus could be current. Ultimately, although, taking the time to detox from digital technology could be a nice way to improve your mental and bodily health. Digital detoxing is just taking a break from your whole digital devices–your telephone, laptop computer, tablet, and so on.–so you’ll find a way to fully disconnect and recharge. It’s about recognizing that expertise addiction and the constant use of social media, together with other digital distractions, can negatively have an result on our mental health and work-life steadiness.

We’re in community with most major insurances – accepting 585 insurance coverage, masking a hundred ninety million individuals nationwide. Dr. Chandril Chugh is a U.S.-trained neurologist with over a decade of expertise. Known for his compassionate care, he makes a speciality of treating neurological conditions such as migraines, epilepsy, and Parkinson’s disease. Dr. Chugh is highly regarded for his patient-centered approach and dedication to offering personalised care. “It doesn’t should be this earth-shattering factor, nevertheless it really is the small step that may make a huge distinction,” Bocci said.

That’s why getting rid of your smartphone and different distractions for a while can be beneficial. You’ll study to be extra productive and give attention to the duties that matter even after your digital detox is finished. A research accomplished by the researchers at the University of Chicago discovered that the mere presence of your smartphone can lower your productivity considerably. It also found that the extra you utilize know-how and smartphones, the less you can give attention to different duties at hand.

Constant connectivity can overwhelm the nervous system, and breaks enable the physique’s stress response to return to regular. This imbalance could contribute to feelings of isolation, lethargy, and decreased overall well-being. It’s necessary to trace your habits so that you just can see the place you are by way of your digital detox journey. This will help you stay on track and be positive to don’t find yourself utilizing your gadgets excessively.

Between fixed notifications, news updates, and the stress to remain digitally connected 24/7, it’s straightforward to really feel mentally overloaded. Fill the void left by digital disconnection with enriching offline activities. Consider reading a e-book, journaling, exercising, or spending time outside. Engage in face-to-face conversations with household and friends to nurture deeper connections.

Like substance use, know-how can turn into a physical addiction. Internet dependancy dysfunction (IAD) manifests in the brain similarly to alcohol and cocaine substance misuse, according to the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. The Common Sense Census discovered that time spent using media such as television units and books has decreased.

Because instead of ready for a notification to tell you to verify your telephone, you’re continuously checking your cellphone to see whether you missed a silenced notification. This is especially true if you have high anxiousness or FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). If that describes you, silence your notifications and put your telephone out of attain. You might also be spending “screen time” with a pill, laptop computer, or different gadgets.

According to Nielsen research, American adults spend over eleven hours per day listening to, watching, studying or usually interacting with media. Hence, persons are becoming overwhelmed by the fixed influx of content material on their devices. You wish to get to the point where it feels like you’ve damaged the behavior. Make the detox simpler by removing the sources of temptation.

You can start by studying, writing, playing with kids, exercising, working on crafts, or even taking up a hobby. If you don’t know what interest to attempt, we’ve ready a hobby software that may assist you to discover new hobbies when you’re doing a digital detox. A digital detox is an act of eradicating yourself from know-how for some time. While expertise may be useful to improve our lives, too much of it may also be detrimental to our health, social interactions, and mental wellbeing. Start by identifying your digital habits, setting clear goals, and gathering instruments or assist methods to keep you accountable.

Smartphones are getting increasingly more spectacular with newer and better features. While this is nice, it’s also problematic for digital detoxing. The fewer causes you could have for taking a look at apps and options, the more often your smartphone will keep in your pocket.

You may discover that you’re more present in conversations, less rushed throughout the day, and extra intentional together with your time. Common boundaries embody no telephones within the bed room, turning off notifications throughout meals, or designating a daily hour with out screens. These clear expectations assist practice your brain to acknowledge device-free time as a regular, non-negotiable a part of your routine. Constant exposure to data can make it tougher to concentrate on tasks that require deeper considering.

In truth, based on a current survey by the American Psychological Association, 18% of American adults mentioned technology use was a big supply of stress in their life. Take again control from the apps, screens, and endless scroll. Designate 2-3 hours daily as tech-free time, no exceptions. Also, for these battling mental health and know-how, this break may be step one toward therapeutic. With a social media break, you get again to issues that matter such as individuals, nature, hobbies, and relaxation.

how to do a digital detox

In addition, our nervous methods are negative affected by the period of time spent observing screens. The concept of taking a break to disconnect is rising in popularity as people understand the digital detox benefits on mental and bodily health. A digital detox is a period during which an individual reduces or completely stops their use of digital units similar to a smartphone. Specifically, people might restrict their general display screen time or access to social media. In addition, our nervous methods are negatively affected by the period of time spent staring at screens.

We recommend identifying specific goals for yourself associated to your personal digital well-being. These aren’t productiveness goals however objectives to be unproductive. Whether planning a weekly game night time with pals or taking a 10-minute walk without your phone, making time to unplug is value it in the long run. Fill the space left by digital downtime with activities that nourish you want studying, walking, journaling, or calling a good friend. When you actively replace display screen time with fulfilling alternatives, the detox turns into a optimistic life-style shift somewhat than a restriction. Designate sure areas of your personal home, like the bed room, eating area, or rest room as tech-free zones.

“The Iphone effect” is the name given by researchers who studied the affect of telephones on a host of various measures of social and private engagement. It helps management how your mind sees rewards and pleasure. Dopamine and its corresponding receptors in your mind also determine the way you reply emotionally to various stimuli. This response is necessary for many causes – but it is also how we will get into hassle.

Try swapping out your evening scroll for a noon stroll, a model new self-care routine, or a tech-free evening with a pal. Even small adjustments might help erode old habits and pave the way for brand new ones. Ironically, your telephone can truly allow you to reduce on display time. Tools like Screen Time (iPhone) or Digital Wellbeing (Android) can present you exactly the place your time is going, and the way much of it’s spent in your device.

Regular breaks can maintain you from becoming a half of that astonishing statistic and allow you to protect your new, healthier habits. Some worry falling behind on updates or missing social calls. San Diego State University researchers famous that extra social media use will increase stress in young adults, yet stepping again can ultimately lower the urge to scroll.

By the tip of Day 2, you must notice your psychological state feeling less scattered. The aim right here isn’t to utterly remove screens yet, but to stop the fixed interruptions that drain your focus. For example, goal to reduce telephone use by 50% or remove social media scrolling completely for the week. Further, the Sleep in America Poll found that 42 p.c of this age group texted within the hour earlier than trying to sleep. The study results found that those that texted the hour earlier than sleeping have been less prone to report a great night’s sleep, wake up feeling un-refreshed, and drive drowsy.

Are there specific triggers, like notifications, that prompt you to check your devices? Use this info to determine which habits you need to change. The point of digital detox is to stay away from your display. But that doesn’t mean you can’t use know-how for necessity somewhat than for entertainment. For instance, you could want to name or text to verify in in your children each day.

This digital detox strategy transforms reactive habits into proactive productivity. There are a quantity of key advantages of digital detox, particularly for mental readability and emotional well-being. Taking time away from screens permits the mind to relaxation from fixed stimuli, helping reduce stress and anxiousness levels. This period of time spent on expertise can have a huge impact on our mental well being and ability to attach with others in actual life. Technology also can have a unfavorable effect on our sleep, as blue gentle from screens may cause stimulation and make it difficult to fall asleep. Taking a break from your digital units can significantly improve your high quality of life.

This simple change makes your gadget less pleasurable to use, naturally lowering the time you spend scrolling with out requiring constant willpower. Blue gentle from screens isn’t the one facet of expertise that disrupts sleep. Upsetting information and obsessing about social media apps cause many people’s ideas to race and loop as they’re making an attempt to go to sleep. Designate a time to ‘park’ your devices a couple of hours earlier than bedtime and use your device’s ‘night mode’ if you are using it previous 8pm. The constant influx of stories and social media updates can improve stress and anxiety levels.

You want your unplugged time to be as gratifying and significant as attainable, so fill it with activities you’re eager on, but not often make time for. Go on a walk, read a e-book for pleasure, explore a destination, or simply make unrushed time for individuals you love. Feeling isolated is a typical concern when pulling again from tech-heavy interactions. To fight this, participate more in face-to-face interactions. 🙌 A digital detox does wonders—thanks for the sort words and for unplugging with us (at least for a bit 😉).

This will help you to stay related with the people in your life with out relying on expertise. Famous Erwin, LMHC, LPC, is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with over 15 years of counseling expertise. He is licensed within the states of Florida, Georgia, and Idaho. Famous is a staff member of theTalkspace Council of Mental Health Experts. Famous loves working as a therapist on the talkspace platform.

Plus, scrolling in bed retains your brain alert as an alternative of winding down. Try charging your telephone outside the bedroom or changing your alarm with a dawn clock for a better transition to sleep. I was waking up feeling extra refreshed, because I wasn’t staying up late scrolling via Instagram or getting sucked into Reddit threads. I was sleeping higher, which meant I had more power during the day. But as the times went on, I began to comprehend how usually I used my phone with out pondering. By the tip of the week, I was noticing small moments of stillness.

The discovering can additionally be notable because it means that these adverse effects are reversible even after a quick detox. Whether it’s going tenting for a weekend or taking a motorcycle journey or socially distanced walk with a friend, attempt to plan real-life activities with others that don’t contain technology. This allows you to have interaction within the exercise along with your full consideration and have fun with others along the best way. There may be some pals or work colleagues that you only communicate with via DMs or e-mail.

Replace senseless screen time with actions that nurture your wellbeing. This may include meditation, breathwork, creative hobbies, cooking, or simply resting. Let your folks, family, or coworkers know you’re taking a break. This helps reduce the pressure to respond instantly and permits others to help your choice.

Incorporating natural incense into your digital detox ritual can additional deepen your connection to the current moment and to yourself. However, you should think about the methods you could switch off and the times that will suit you. I keep in touch with my family extra because I actually have prompt access to them, and I’ve absorbed a ton of useful data through the web. The capacity to work on-line has also given me a job that I love. I was on a Zoom meeting recently, and we received onto the subject of screen time.

Online remedy can connect you with a licensed therapist, in your time and in the consolation of your house, who can make the most of these abilities that will assist you take back your life from digital addictions. Social media is a powerful device that may have an result on your psychological well being in positive and adverse ways. Apps can’t replace skilled therapy, however they will offer additional assist in your psychological well being. Rewards are great for staying motivated and committed to your digital detox.

Balance display screen time by incorporating non-digital instruments when possible. Encourage handwritten notes for brainstorming, use whiteboards in meetings, and supply bodily planners as an different choice to digital task managers. Implement insurance policies that assist screen-free flexibility, corresponding to walking conferences, paper-based brainstorming sessions, or designated offline hours. Allow employees to step away from screens without guilt, enhancing focus and creativity. The point of a digital detox is that it’s personalized and personalised to match you and your wants in a means that promotes concord and stability in your life. This rising shift to the digital world comes with many benefits, however it additionally interferes with some primary human needs, and, unfortunately, it has turn into a supply of stress and anxiousness.

By intentionally unplugging, you create space to focus on real-life interactions, engage in offline hobbies, and turn into more present in your personal life. A digital detox is intentionally unplugging from digital devices similar to smartphones, computer systems, tablets, and social media platforms for a particular period. Unlike common device utilization, a digital detox involves consciously limiting display exposure to reduce stress and restore stability. People typically flip to digital detoxes to counter emotions of overwhelm, enhance focus, or regain management over their digital habits.

how to do a digital detox

With much less distractions, you’ll get pleasure from more awareness of what’s happening around you, within the present moment. You’ll be capable of really join with individuals and the natural world. You may notice better focus and fewer stress with out the constant interruptions and information overload that technology brings. You can begin by spending a couple of hours offline every week or taking whole weekends to go tech-free. Each step in the course of being conscious about your tech use helps you live a extra intentional and fulfilling life.

The effects of lowering tech usage can typically be felt within a few days. Many report improvements in mood, heightened awareness of their environment, and a greater night’s sleep shortly after beginning their tech break. Over time, these results can contribute to lasting modifications in the way you interact with know-how, as it promotes a more healthy balance between tech use and on an everyday basis life. Exposure to the blue light emitted by screens can disrupt your natural sleep patterns by inhibiting the production of melatonin, which is the hormone answerable for regulating sleep. Reducing screen time, particularly earlier than bed, may help normalize your sleep schedule.

When you do a digital detox, you will become more aware of the little issues that make our lives beautiful. Previously, you’d be sticking your nostril in your phone all the time without taking notice of the gorgeous world round you. But when you do a digital detox, you won’t be able to evaluate your self to others in the same way anymore. Instead, you’ll be succesful of reside your life without continuously evaluating your self to others. The truth is that know-how makes it tempting to use it all the time.

Our hyper-connectivity can considerably enhance our effectivity, communications, and convenience. However, being continuously plugged in can even drain productiveness and centered action because we’re constantly distracted by info overload. There are your 6 digital detox tips that hopefully appear realistic!

Read on to learn how a digital detox may help you type a extra constructive and healthy relationship together with your expertise. Another stumbling block is boredom, which can lure you again online. Keep a short listing of alternate activities—like bodily health routines, house projects, or new recipes—to fill downtime. Revisit your goals and remind yourself of the energy you’re regaining by skipping needless online periods. Pick a size for your detox that feels workable—perhaps a day, a weekend, or even just a few hours every evening. Outline which apps or websites are off-limits and which (if any) you’ll keep for mandatory duties.

Afterwards, when you’re accomplished, take a while to reflect on what worked and what didn’t. Pay consideration to how you felt and make necessary changes for the next time. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again— I love the internet. But I even have to admit, there are numerous times when it is completely a distraction from the necessary work I want to get accomplished. The great factor about a detox is that it reminds me what it feels love to do deep focused work, and prevents that talent from completely fading away.

Instead, she suggests eradicating your self from device use completely. Banning phones and screens from the bed room, for instance, can maintain screens from interfering along with your sleep, Becker says. And if you have to go into a special room or a half of your house to make use of a device, it may deter you from mindlessly scrolling.

Many experts suggest taking a minimum of three nights to digital detox, so you presumably can reap the biggest digital detox advantages. This transient reflection often reveals that many digital interactions function emotional escapes rather than purposeful actions. Research has shown that boredom, anxiety, and loneliness frequently set off expertise use, but screens rarely fulfill these emotional needs, and infrequently exacerbate them. A digital detox can help you with your gaming addiction or one other kind of digital addiction, as long as you stick with it. Some studies have proved it, and many individuals have had great success with it. This creates an opportunity so that you can create a extra satisfying life with out social media, video video games, or phone addictions.

If you finish up asking if a digital detox is right for you, then the reply is probably yes. We are dedicated to providing you with priceless sources that educate and empower you to stay better. Think about it – how typically do you grab your cellphone with out even serious about it? Breaking this behavior might help you are feeling more current, less distracted, and extra in command of your time.

This digital detox guidelines item helps you stay present and conscious. Are you a busy skilled or a mother or father inundated with constant notifications? If so, a digital detox might be the perfect technique to reclaim your psychological space and reduce daily stress. To discover its basics, check out our digital detox definition simplified information, and be taught why stepping again from screens can make an actual distinction.

Decide when and where you’ll use expertise and for what functions. Pre-committing is much simpler than attempting to control your impulses on a decision by decision foundation, and a better method of forming new habits. As a lot as day six sucked, it wasn’t because of my phone addiction, and by day seven, I felt the effects of the detox the most. Not solely did I not reach for my telephone, but I didn’t even have the passing thought that I’d like to succeed in for it.

It also helps to create a backup plan for essential duties like online banking or e-learning for the youngsters. A few preliminary steps can make you are feeling confident about going offline. Online activities have woven themselves into day by day routines, making it simple to refresh your social media feed or watch late-night videos. You may discover that you’re capable of focus higher after your detox and may expertise increased mental readability and less of a must examine your units or social media on autopilot. Imagine clearing the psychological fog, sleeping soundly, and at last ending that e-book you’ve been meaning to read. All of that’s possible should you commit to taking time away from social media and display time in general.

The fixed barrage of notifications, the expectation to at all times be obtainable, and endless info consumption can depart folks feeling mentally drained. Taking a break out of your display screen is the perfect opportunity to refocus on self-care and psychological well-being. Use this time to construct wholesome habits that nourish your thoughts and physique. This digital detox guide provides you a easy framework to reset your habits. Even a brief break can help you chop down display screen time, recognize the advantages of unplugging, and build more conscious tech habits.

Beyond psychological health, digital detox can positively impact bodily well-being. Reduced display time encourages extra bodily exercise, helps prevent eye strain and complications, and can improve posture by limiting long hours spent on devices. Taking breaks from screens additionally promotes better sleep hygiene, which is important for total bodily well being.

If social media or different distractions aren’t easily accessible, you’ll be much less prone to mindlessly attain on your cellphone. A digital detox is not nearly cutting again on display screen time. Social media can trigger a number of the worst problems, inflicting some individuals to continually evaluate themselves to people they only know superficially or under no circumstances.

Use what you discovered to adjust your digital habits shifting ahead. Create boundaries for your detox corresponding to no cellphone use throughout meals, no phones once you climb into bed, or extend the boundary to no cellphone or tablet for an hour earlier than mattress. If you want to target your social media use particularly you can set a no social media for the entire detox.

If it’s out of sight, it may possibly usually be out of thoughts, permitting for extra centered and enriching offline experiences. If you’re trying to embark on a digital detox, listed right here are some pragmatic steps to information you. Breaks can scale back stress, particularly among heavy users, Vidal says. She says extra research is required on digital abstinence earlier than there can be particular recommendations on what this appears like and how long it should final. Write down the precise steps you plan to take when one thing triggers you to interrupt your detox.

This brief delay helps retrain your brain’s “instant check” behavior. This one step alone can drastically reduce the variety of times you examine your telephone every day. Research exhibits that constant multitasking with devices leads to diminished focus, elevated stress, and poor sleep. Disconnecting permits the brain to restore its natural processing rhythms. Switch to analog options like paper planners for organizing duties.

If you’re ready, a weekend or week-long detox could be more impactful. Are you hoping to scale back stress, sleep higher, or reconnect with offline hobbies? Write down tangible targets, like spending X hours outdoor or reading Y books this month, to maintain yourself motivated. One of the best issues a few digital detox is that you’ll be able to create a life for your self the place you may be free of the necessity to use your cellphone or one other system a lot. The actions you can add to your day by day schedule include train, meditation, and reading. This will hold you physically match and offer you an opportunity to be extra mindful and current in your everyday life.

For example, are you unable to interact in a face-to-face dialog with out checking your telephone or smartwatch? Do you finish up doomscrolling into the early morning hours, only to wake up drained the next day? Identifying the areas of your life where your screen use is having essentially the most influence can help you realize the place to set boundaries first. Excessive display time could be responsible if you’re constantly drained despite getting sufficient sleep.

And sometimes, the best way to do that is by stepping out of the river altogether. If you’re spending hours on-line however nonetheless feeling unfulfilled or bored, think about this an indication that a digital detox could do you good. This inversion of how we work together over the previous few years results in dissatisfaction and a longing for more. If your productiveness is dwindling and you’re unable to focus on duties as a result of you’re constantly checking your device, you may need digital cleansing. Reaching out to a counselor or a psychological well being professional who’s well-versed on digital addiction or dependence shouldn’t be a final resort. If you’re fighting anxiety, compulsive screen use, or hassle detaching, therapy can provide actual tools for restoration.

Firstly, you can think about doing it during vacation or even start on a weekend. Unplugging from expertise might make your day without work even better. Take your day off from work to rid yourself of that anxiety. It’s hard to do a detox, and likelihood is, if you’re an active social media participant, your friends are going to wonder where you went. You don’t need to depart them hanging, so I advocate you make an announcement.

You may also feel a little isolated from associates when you take a break from social media and don’t find different methods to attach with them. Consider leaving one digital forum of social connection unchanged to remain connected. Set social boundariesPut your phone away throughout meals, social outings, or household time. Being current within the second strengthens connections with these round you.

It’s a reminder that presence and peace are nonetheless possible, and often just a energy button away. This is a simple but powerful thing you can do to reclaim your consideration. Most notifications aren’t urgent; they’re just distractions dressed up as relevance. You’ll be shocked by how quiet and calm your day becomes when your cellphone isn’t continually pinging.

When we’re chronically on-line, we overlook what it means to be related to the world. We’ll e-mail you 1-3 times per week—and by no means share your data. The human mind is a strong thing—it’ll still find reasons to choose up a device even when you’ve removed the temptation. “Just one verify will not do any hurt” is a troublesome mantra to keep away from.

The objective is to disconnect from constant digital engagement to learn psychological and emotional health. We’ve all experienced the want to break away from digital habits. To substitute them, strive activities like reading, cooking, exercising, gardening, portray, or simply spending time with friends and family. Moreover, it can be troublesome to disconnect from expertise and spend time in non-digital methods. This lack of unplugging can result in feelings of loneliness, nervousness, and stress. Even although technology has its advantages, it might be hard to discover a healthy steadiness of digital and non-digital time.

At Talkspace, Everyday is thrilling as a end result of he has an opportunity to do what he loves and that’s helping individuals overcome life’s challenges by way of efficient life abilities and coping skills. Traditionally, males don’t seek counseling so as a male therapist, Famous ensures the lads that he works with that counseling is a protected place to be susceptible. Talkspace articles are written by skilled mental health-wellness contributors; they are grounded in scientific research and evidence-based practices. Late-night scrolling would possibly feel like a innocent way to unwind after a protracted day at work or working errands, but it could actually sabotage your rest.

Somewhere alongside the way in which, we went from proudly owning our know-how, to our expertise owning us. The aim of a detox, often called a cleanse or fast is to minimize the issues your body has to process to have the ability to free it up to do what it does naturally. As a outcome, your body is unable to maintain up with the toxins and you’ll turn out to be vulnerable to infection and sicknesses.

These bodily points may appear trivial at first but can construct into persistent exhaustion over time. Excessive publicity to screens is linked to heightened anxiousness, depression, and poor focus. Social media platforms can amplify emotions of inadequacy or stress as a outcome of fixed comparisons. Studies counsel that taking a break from these platforms can improve shallowness and boost your mental well-being (Healthline).

Good examples of apps embrace Social Fever, My Addictiometer, and OffTime. All these outcomes tell us that despite the actual fact that not many research are being conducted, a digital detox could be extremely efficient if you stick with it strictly. Many research have shown that the Internet and social media have decreased our cognitive functions (1,2).

Signs you need a digital detox embrace feeling overwhelmed, distracted, or struggling to focus on tasks. Yes, digital detox for students involves limiting social media, utilizing paper notes, and taking breaks with activities like yoga movies. For a enjoyable twist, explore yoga videos to stretch and loosen up.