You booked the trip, packed the bags and vowed to unplug. But if you’re like most Americans, your vacation probably involved more scrolling than serenity.
A new study reveals that a staggering 94% of travelers admit to using their phones even on so-called “digital detox” getaways, and nearly half say their screen habits kept them from fully relaxing. Experts warn that this constant connection could be quietly undermining our ability to recharge—and making vacations feel more exhausting than restorative.
94% of travelers can’t unplug—here’s why it matters
The idea of an “off-the-grid” vacation has become more fantasy than reality. Instead of disconnecting, many Americans are swapping rest for refreshing inboxes, snapping selfies, or scrolling late into the night. According to data from Medico Digital and BankMyCell, nearly half of vacationers (47%) say their screen time disrupted their ability to truly unwind.
“Even away from the office, our brains remain in work mode when we’re constantly connected,” says digital healthcare expert Oliver Capel from Medico Digital. “Without true digital downtime, stress hormones like cortisol stay elevated, which means we come back from vacation just as depleted as when we left.”
But many find that digital downtime stressful: 45% of Gen Xers with a smartphone say they feel anxious without their phones.
Are you relaxing or just performing it?
Thanks to social media, vacations have become content factories. Instead of soaking up the moment, many of us are curating it. “When the priority is posting the view rather than enjoying it, you miss out on the restorative potential of being fully present,” Capel explains.
This pressure to document every meal, sunset and excursion creates an invisible weight. For many, the anxiety of missing out on digital life outweighs the peace of disconnecting from it.
Why true digital detox is the new luxury
More U.S. resorts are recognizing this trend and advertising tech-free experiences, from no-Wi-Fi spas in Arizona to secluded yoga retreats in Hawaii. But you don’t need a five-star hideaway to reset. Travelers are taking digital detox into their own hands with simple habits: putting phones on airplane mode, locking social apps, or carving out no-tech times at meals or by the pool.
“We often talk about needing a break, but the irony is most of us don’t know how to actually take one anymore,” Capel says. “Vacations, which should be restorative, are now becoming just another stage for performance and productivity.”
5 ways to actually unplug on your next trip
Bookend your days without screens. Start and end your mornings and evenings phone-free.
Go analog. Take a paperback, sketchpad or disposable camera to capture memories.
Pick signal-dead zones. National parks and rural cabins are perfect.
Set an auto-reply and honor it. You’re off—act like it.
Limit your log-ons. Check your phone once a day, then switch off completely.
Ultimately, a true vacation isn’t about Wi-Fi speed or photo ops. It’s about giving your mind space to recover. And when you protect that digital boundary, you don’t just enjoy the holiday more—you come back healthier, calmer, and more human.