Are you also constantly online? We're starting to notice the impact that constant availability has on our stress levels and health. Luxury in the 21st century means switching off the smartphone. Or rather: digital detox. We've been on the trail of this new trend.

Alarm clock rings. Open your eyes, stretch and loll - and automatically reach for the smartphone lying on the bedside table. A missed call and five WhatsApp messages are waiting to be answered. Quickly check what's new on Instagram and the e-mails. Then swing your legs out of bed and head for the bathroom to get ready for the day.

To whom does this morning sound familiar? Most of us reach for our smartphone for the first time right after waking up. However, hardly anyone is aware that this habit has been proven to have a negative impact on our brain and stress levels. Because if we confront ourselves with a multitude of notifications, emails and news about what has happened in the world overnight right after waking up, we expose ourselves to a flood of information in the morning to which our brain has to react. In this way, we start the day passively and under the influence of others. The first few minutes after waking up are crucial for how the rest of our day will go. If we are already stressed in the first few minutes of the day, it is more likely that the entire day will be unsettled. So why don't we start our day with something that makes us feel relaxed to start the morning and that we have control over, rather than passively reacting to all the messages from outside?

Smartphones and the Internet have become such a natural part of our everyday lives that we no longer even notice what their constant availability does to our psyche and health. We can't help but constantly look at our smartphone to check if there's anything new. We have it constantly within reach, just an arm's length away from us. Even at dinner with friends, we put it on the table in front of us. Even a single sound or just the vibrate makes us reach for it again immediately, because every message and comment on social media wants to be answered right away. Actually, we'd rather turn a blind eye to the truth, but if we're honest with ourselves, we have to admit: We're addicted to being online. If we ever have to go a few hours without the Internet, we're afraid of missing out. Yet it has been proven that social media in particular creates a form of addiction, ensures high stress levels and puts us under pressure without us noticing. Our brains are overwhelmed by the incessant flow of news and information. As a result, many of us are constantly absent-minded and tense. The overwhelming flood of information and communication overload can even lead to burn-out. So it's high time we thought about what we can do about it!

The good news is: the negative effects of being constantly online can be put into perspective - at least for a while: If we take time for ourselves again, in which the smartphone and the laptop remain switched off. In a so-called digital detox, you spend a certain amount of time without the Internet in order to effectively relax. Many celebrities are already doing it: A vacation is the best opportunity for such a time-out and the precious days offline help us to rediscover an already forgotten form of peace and serenity. In combination with holistic detox cures, you can switch off not only physically, but above all mentally and gather new strength.

Some hotels now offer the rare luxury of staying offline and detoxifying body and mind. With a comprehensive wellness offer, healthy food and detox programmes, they enable a holistic form of relaxation and renewal. We invite you to go offline with us and introduce you to five top detox hotels in Europe. So get your away note and "I'll be offline" post on Instagram ready, ditch your smartphone and charging cable at the bottom of your drawer and head to some of the most beautiful regions around with us. We promise you'll find a much better connection there than wifi!

HOTEL TIPS

Villa Stéphanie - Brenners Park Hotel

BADEN-BADEN, GERMANY
You don't have to travel far to escape the daily grind. It is enough to seek out an oasis of peace and regeneration, such as Villa Stéphanie, located in the heart of Baden Baden. The historic villa is nestled in a private park and consists of the 5-star hotel, a House of Wellbeing and the extensive private park. At Brenners Park Hotel & Spa, you can completely immerse yourself in the world of relaxation and finally find peace. The treatments offered are based on four pillars: Beauty, Detox and Nutrition, Emotional Balance and Medical Care. Detox also includes Digital Detox, which is encouraged at the property. In each room, at the touch of a button from the bedside table, you can disconnect the entire room from the mains and Wi-Fi to switch off yourself. The holistic approach at Villa Stéphanie envelops its guests in a warm atmosphere of security and health. In the 5000 m² In the large spa area, no wellness dreams remain unfulfilled: a huge sauna area, pool, hamam and a large selection of treatments await you. But the offer goes far beyond wellness, Villa Stéphanie also offers supervised detox and weight loss retreats. In addition, a healthy, light diet rounds off the harmonious concept of luxury and health.

Double room from € 530.- / night | oetkercollection.com

Lanserhof Lans & Tegernsee

AUSTRIA & GERMANY
Higher, faster, further, always reachable and networked everywhere - we are a society that finds it difficult to come to rest. But this hectic pace also creates a desire for balance and reflection. Lanserhof offers a place of healing with its unique LANS Med Concept, which was developed over 30 years together by doctors, therapists, sports scientists and chefs. The holistic detox concept is based on naturopathic Modern Mayr Medicine and the latest medical expertise. The power of nature is an important part of the "Lanserhof idea". The two Lanserhof hotels in Lans and on Lake Tegernsee combine unspoilt nature with modern architecture, natural healing methods with medicine of the highest standard and original foods with the latest nutritional knowledge. The comprehensive offer ranges from tailor-made detox, purification and deacidification cures, sports science-based, performance-enhancing therapies and energetic treatments to medical cosmetics and burn-out prevention. Thanks to this comprehensive offering, Lanserhof Tegernsee can look forward to numerous awards such as "Germany's Best Wellness Retreat" 2019. Decisive for these awards are also the light-flooded, spacious rooms, which offer plenty of room for holistic relaxation. This also includes Digital Detox, which can be easily implemented on the accompanying golf course as well as in the bathhouse and on the heated terrace. Because the fantastic mountain world of the Alps touches the senses and gives peace.

Double room from € 540.- / night | lanserhof.com

Vivamayr Altaussee

ALTAUSEE, AUSTRIA
Clear mountain air and refreshing mountain lake water have a purifying effect that many wellness hotels take advantage of. The Vivamayr Hotel on crystal clear Altaussee, located in the geographical heart of Austria, also combines the purifying power of nature with luxury and medicine. Vivamayr is the combination of traditional diagnostics and therapy according to F.X. Mayr and modern complementary medicine. The purity of Lake Altaussee and the untouched mountain scenery in the surrounding area provide a magical backdrop for relaxation and mental balance. The Vivamayr Hotel is characterized above all by a large medical department according to Modern Mayr Medicine. The diagnostics and therapy according to F.X. Mayr focuses on detoxification, cleansing and lifestyle changes. This approach includes regular exercise, personal dietary guidelines and a decelerated lifestyle, which includes using the smartphone less and thus more consciously. Thanks to the vitalizing environment, it is easy to implement the new lifestyle. The medical care and the numerous naturopathic treatments also make the stay a memorable experience. Treatments are customized and range from detox cures and nutritional counseling to oxygen therapy and infusions. The cosy rooms, the spacious spa area and the wide range of sporting activities have an invigorating and calming effect, so that body and mind are in harmony.

Double room from € 360.- / night | vivamayr.com

THE BEST TIPS FOR DIGITAL DETOX ON VACATION

01. switch off push messages
Don't let your blinking or buzzing smartphone distract you from your beautiful surroundings any longer! Turn off the push functions and decide for yourself when you want to check your messages. Because the news popping up only causes stress and distraction.

02. minimise smartphone use
It's normal today to be available all the time, but especially on weekends and holidays, a few days offline help you to really relax. Deliberately allow yourself time offline and set times when the smartphone is taboo.                                                                                           

03. set priorities
Which messages need to be answered urgently and which ones don't require a reaction from you for the time being? Decide consciously which messages get your attention, when and for how long, and don't let yourself be pressured to respond immediately - you're on holiday!

04. check screen time
Do you know how much time you spend on your smartphone every day and with which apps? Tracking apps help to identify and question the time wasters. It is often frightening how much time we waste in front of the screen.

05. turn off the smartphone during the night
Especially before and after sleeping, the smartphone has a particularly negative effect on us. In the evening it causes restlessness and distraction and in the morning it stresses us out even before brushing our teeth. Switch off your mobile phone or put it in flight mode and enjoy your time offline.

Picture credits: James Merrell; Alexander Haiden; Herbert Lehmann; Unsplash (Asja Caspari; Leio McLaren; Sincerely Media, Simon Wilkes)