Five ways to cut yourself off from everything. We checked how to effectively reset

Floating cabin

If you need a really radical stretch from reality, there is probably no more suitable method than using a floating chamber, also known as a deprivation chamber. The originator and constructor of the first such device is a neurologist John C. Lilly, who already in the 1950s studied the influence on the mind of cutting it off from as many external stimuli as possible. After many trials, the chambers gained a shape similar to the current one - these are quite large, soundproofed and cut off from light sources tanks filled with water at the temperature of the human body.

Floating cabin Photo: Unsplash / Galen Crout

In addition, a large amount of salt (more specifically magnesium sulfate) is dissolved in the water, which, by increasing the buoyancy force, makes the human body float without the need to use muscles, making the person locked in the chamber into a state of weightlessness. While Lilly has become an outsider of the scientific world with time (e.g. by using cabins for astral travel and attempts to communicate with dolphins), the depravation chambers themselves have not only become a popular attraction in SPA centers, but are also a promising alternative method of treating anxiety and depression (as reported in a 2018 study). Even if their action does not turn out to be so effective that floating cabins are included in the standard equipment of therapeutic agents, it cannot be denied that it is difficult to cut off from the outside world more effectively. If you're looking for episodes in the most literal sense, the depravation chamber is for you.

Forests, fields, meadows

If cutting yourself off from everything sounds too radical, going out of town may be a good solution. For the first time in history, more than 50% of the world's population lives in urban areas, and WHO has been warning for years about the negative impact of living in a city on our health - both physical and mental. This is related to, for example, excessive noise levels, air pollution, and the fact that living in the city we are more prone to neglect of diet and physical activity. While some of us have the opportunity and courage to "drop everything and go to the countryside", many people are connected with the city for good. All is not lost.

Walks in the bosom of naturePhoto: Unsplash / Sam Solomon

A study conducted at Stanford University shows that even 90 minutes of walking in nature significantly improves our mood and reduces the risk of falling into depression. In the subjects who walked in the woods for an hour and a half, a significant decrease in brain activity associated with depressed mood was observed, as well as a noticeable reduction in the amount of obsessive thoughts. According to another study, even 20 minutes of exposure to nature has a significant impact on lowering the level of cortisol (known as the "stress hormone"). Of course, the more time you spend in the forest or in the meadow, the more positive effects of "nature therapy" will be felt, but if even 20 minutes can help, it may be worth giving up "relaxing" scrolling through social media for a walk during the next break at work in a nearby park.

Catch the flow

If you associate the term "flow" only with rap, it is a sure sign that you lack psychological knowledge. The term, translated into Polish as "flow", was introduced into the academic language by an American psychologist of Hungarian origin, Mihály Csíkszentmihályi. While the correct pronunciation of the researcher's name can be backbreaking, the activities that put us in a state of flow are, at least theoretically, quite simple - we can feel the flow when practicing sports, talking to friends, and even working. How does it look like? You probably know the feeling that accompanies activities that completely absorb you - time does not seem to exist, thoughts do not run away in several directions at once, and the purpose of the activity does not matter, you just act.

Flow, i.e. flow, can be felt when practicing sports, talking with friends, and even working Photo: Unsplash / David Marcu

This is what the flow state is all about - an almost euphoric feeling caused by total dedication to a specific task. In the state of flow, we are extremely stimulated, but without losing control, on the contrary - people immersed in full flow have an extraordinary confidence in what and how to do at every stage of action. The only question is how to achieve this almost mystical state? There seem to be no simple answers, but intense research is underway, especially in professional contexts. One thing is for sure - you will not get into a flow state wondering what to pay attention to. You have to act, preferably in the field that suits your personal preferences.

Meditation

Another method available anytime and anywhere is broadly understood meditation. While in the '60s and' 70s the practice was known in pop culture mainly due to flower children and stars like The Beatles, in 2021 meditation is already a constant element of the mainstream. It is estimated that in the last 10 years the number of meditators in the world has tripled, and applications introducing users to this world have already been downloaded by hundreds of millions of users. Usually, meditation is divided into two general groups - meditation consisting in concentration on a specific object or process (e.g. breath) and mindfulness meditation, in which, instead of "turning off" everything except a selected aspect of reality, practitioners try to extend their attention to all processes taking place. at the moment with a non-judgmental attitude (observing thoughts, sounds, feelings in the body, etc.).

Meditation Photo: Unsplash / JD Mason

Meditation has been an object of scientific research for years (which was encouraged by the Dalai Lama himself) and everything indicates that it has a real impact on the functioning of our brain. Practices based on meditation are used not only in centers related to spiritual practice, but also in addiction centers, therapy centers and prisons. This popularity is hardly surprising - in the world of "stimulation" and life rush, meditation is one of the most accessible forms of calming the mind - it does not require departures, leaving the house, and often even moving from the chair. A basic introduction is enough to use this technique under almost any circumstances.

Music

The last, proven and extremely powerful reset tool is music. Countless studies indicate the powerful power of sound, such as those published in the British Journal of Psychology, which indicates the ability of music to regulate our mood and deal with emotions. Music can reduce stress levels not only in everyday life, but even in patients suffering from incurable diseases or struggling with recovery from addiction. Calm, relaxing music can slow down our pulse and let our thoughts slow down. On the other hand, a party dance playlist can increase the level of serotonin in the brain and at least temporarily cut off thoughts from recurring overwhelming topics. If you do not have an idea for a background for your own reset, check the sets prepared for you by Falcon1 and Conspiracy of One as part of our Samsung Musical Episode campaign. DJs played hour-long sets that will allow you to dance the stress and forget for a moment about the technical problems of everyday life.

Samsung Galaxy Buds ProFoto: Piotr "Kaczy" Kaczor / Noizz.pl

In the search for the perfect way to cut yourself off from the outside world, the new Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro wireless headphones can help you. Thanks to active noise reduction, they can reduce up to 99% of unwanted sounds from the environment, monitoring noise in real time thanks to the built-in microphones. Thanks to this, you can be alone with the selected music. It only remains to immerse yourself in it. And if someone calls - you can, but you don't have to answer.