Pulse June 2017 | Page 50

Ssshhhhh! Riiing! Buzzz! Click! Beep! Screeeech! Why Spas are Silencing Our Digital Addiction BY KELLY HEITZ 48 PULSE ■ June 2017 The sounds of our modern world are harsh. The constant jarring noise of technology and the stress that comes with it is something people are constantly fighting through daily. According to the American Psychological Association’s ongoing study Stress in America, more than four out of five adults in the U.S. (86 percent) report that they constantly or often check their email, texts and social media accounts. The survey also found that stress levels run higher in the individuals that report the high consistency of daily technology use. “Technology has brought us many great advances,” said Jeremy McCarthy, Group Director of Spa and Wellness at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, which recently launched a Global Digital Detox Initiative in all its spas worldwide. “But the expectations for instant communication and the increasing pace of change in the world can have a negative impact on our wellbeing.” Requiring guests to unplug at the spa gives them permission to stop the noise and truly destress.