Do you ever feel completely overwhelmed by the constant dings, emails, pop-ups, texts, and screens?
If so—you are not alone.
You may have decluttered your closet – but what about your phone? How about your inbox? The time you spend on social media? Your overall digital devices?
Today, we’re going to talk about digital clutter—what it is, how it affects your health, and simple ways to clear it out so you can feel calmer, clearer, and more in control.
What is Digital Clutter and Why it Matters
Digital clutter is all the “noise” on our devices—thousands of emails, unread texts, endless notifications, too many open tabs, and saved screenshots we’ll never look at again.
But here’s the truth: digital clutter is mental clutter. And we talked about mental clutter last week and how it affects our health. Remember: It keeps our brains overstimulated, distracts us from what matters, and actually raises our stress hormones—especially cortisol.
Extra cortisol doesn’t just affect stress—it impacts hormone balance, blood sugar, belly fat, brain fog, and even sleep quality.
So while it might seem harmless, digital clutter could be draining your energy and affecting your health far more than you think.
Signs You’re Digitally Overwhelmed
Here are a few signs you might need a digital detox:
- You feel anxious when you pick up your phone
- Your inbox is bursting with thousands of unread messages – Ummm, how many do you have?
- You have so many tabs open you can’t remember what you were doing
- You scroll to relax—but feel more stressed afterward
- You check your phone first thing in the morning and last thing before bed
Sound familiar?
Health Benefits of Digital Decluttering
When we clear digital clutter, we make space—for rest, focus, and health.
🧠 Mentally, you feel clearer, calmer, and more productive which will reduce decision fatigue and boost creativity and problem solving.
💤 Physically, your body relaxes—lowering stress hormones which calms your nervous system which helps you digest food better and sleep better. This is extremely important if you are in the perimenopause or menopause years.
💙 Emotionally, you feel less frazzled, more peaceful, and are able to have time for loved ones, yourself, and hobbies and fun.
🙏 Spiritually, you create space and time to pray, reflect, and connect with God.
Less scrolling overall equals more time for your health, relationships, hobbies, and fun – what matters more in life. That verse I mentioned last week about spiritual stillness from Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God. Stillness cannot happen when we are overcome by digital clutter and distractions.
5 Simple Ways to Declutter Today
Ready to take action? Here are 5 easy things you can do today:
- Unsubscribe from 5 emails that no longer serve you. Really – go ahead and do it. You can always subscribe again in the future.
- Delete 100+ photos or screenshots from your phone (or I-pad). How many photos of your cat or your family smiling while sitting on the beach do you need? (I’m preaching to myself here!)
- Set your phone to Do Not Disturb mode after 8pm.
- Remove social media apps from your home screen (or take a break!).
- Try a Digital Sabbath—one screen-free day or half-day each week. Or if that’s too much – pick one day a week where you limit yourself to be on screen for only 30 minutes to an hour.
Start small—but be consistent. You’ll feel the difference in your body, your mind, and your spirit.
Digital clutter is the invisible stressor that’s draining your focus, increasing anxiety, and disrupting your hormones – especially for women over 40. So what’s one small thing you can declutter digitally this week?
And if you want more peace and simplicity in your wellness, I’d love to help you. Reach out by scheduling a free 20-minute consult by clicking here.
Leah Cheshire is a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach who helps women over 45 balance hormones, reduce sugar cravings, and regain energy through a holistic and faith-based, functional wellness strategy. She specializes in perimenopause, menopause, gut and autoimmune health, and sustainable lifestyle changes through small daily habits. She’s also a retired speech-language pathologist and homeschooler, wife, and mother who loves to “nerd out” on all things health and wellness. Click here to schedule a free 20-minute consult with her.
