Try a media detox, and the effects of meditation change dramatically.
The Start of a Media Detox, and a Small Resolution
I’ve practiced meditation for quite a long time. I started with 30 minutes a day, and on some days I even reached a deep state for over an hour and a half. But recently, I realized the effects of meditation can change noticeably. And the beginning of that change was “media detox”.
Smartphones, YouTube, TV, SNS. These things were always close by. Most of the time, once you turn them on, a few hours is the default, and your brain ends up packed with stimulation. I wasn’t that extreme, but at some point I decided to cut down on that stimulation—and if possible, quit it altogether. I’d use only the functions I truly needed and avoid videos and feeds as much as I could. That was the start of my media detox.
* 소셜 미디어는 친구들의 게시물만 보기로 했어요.
An Inner Shift That Began in Dreams
Once I cut out media, something surprising happened. The first was dreams. On days when I watched YouTube, my dreams were blurry, hard to remember, and often meaningless. But about a week into practicing a media detox, my dreams became vivid. Past memories replayed in detail, and even emotions I’d forgotten surfaced.
In my dreams, I met different versions of myself. I learned from the hints and direction they offered for my life, and I cried, got angry, and gradually cleansed my emotions.
And when I woke up and entered meditation, it felt as if those memories were being purified—quietly fading away. A very powerful healing had begun. My mood became incredibly calm and peaceful, as if my emotions had been cleansed.
Media Detox + Meditation = Beyond-Imagination Results
Above all, the effects of meditation became dozens of times more intense than before. My mind cleared, it felt like something deep in my brain was opening up, my focus lasted much longer, and I could observe surrounding noise just as it was. It was so intense it felt like pressure in my brain released and my skull expanded. There’s also research showing that meditation can change the brain’s structure.
According to research by Yale neuroscientist Dr. Sara Lazar, long-term meditators show increased gray matter density in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, along with improved white-matter connectivity (Lazar et al., 2011). In addition, groups that stopped using digital media showed improved attention and emotional regulation, and reduced overall brain fatigue (Kolhe & Naik, 2025).
What matters is this: even a media detox alone can start cleansing the brain, and when you add meditation, the effect multiplies. In my case, I combined it with 1 hour and 30 minutes of meditation a day, and I felt past emotions surge in like waves—then, within that, something would release. I could truly feel that meditation isn’t just sitting still; it’s the work of clearing inner clutter and rearranging your energy.
A Remarkable Change That Starts in Just One Day
And most importantly, this change starts “in just one day”. As my brain heated up, my focus deepened into immersion, and my mind became both peaceful and intense. Instagram or YouTube might lift your mood for a moment, but you can’t erase the emptiness that follows. A media detox and meditation, on the other hand, help you face your real self.
* 하루동안 미디어를 시청하지 않았다면, 그날 밤 꿈을 기대하셔도 좋습니다.
I plan to keep this routine going. If possible, I’ll keep SNS to just checking friends’ updates, and only refer to informational content occasionally. I want to build a routine that brings me back to life—writing, reading, walking, meditating.
If your head feels heavy these days, you can’t focus, and your mind feels anxious, try it—even for just one day. Turn off your phone, sit somewhere quiet, and focus on yourself. The change may come much faster—and more dramatically—than you expect.
References:
- Lazar, S. W., Kerr, C. E., Wasserman, R. H., et al. (2011). Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness. Neuroreport, 16(17), 1893–1897. https://academic.oup.com/scan/article/8/1/27/1695087
- Kolhe, D., & Naik, A. (2025). Digital detox as a means to enhance eudaimonic well-being. Frontiers in Human Dynamics. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fhumd.2025.1572587/full
