THE Adver is encouraging you to ditch your mobile phone for a day as part of Mental Health Month’s digital detox.

Most of us spend the majority of our day connected to some form of digital device.

But as screens are becoming pervasive, awareness is increasing of their impact on our mental health.

Earlier this year Dr Catherine Calderwood, Scotland’s chief medical officer said research had connected between levels of screen time with children’s anxiety and depression levels.

The move away from smart phones is gathering momentum in Swindon, after a smartphone-free concert was held earlier this month by DJ Faydz, who ditched his own device in 2017.

“I noticed how much it had been distracting me and having a negative impact on my own mental health and wellbeing,” said the DJ.

“Smartphones in general have really become so intrusive into people lives now,”he said.

“As much as we’ve moved forward with technology, as humans we aren’t progressing ourselves. We’re actually more disconnected socially.”

Tips to help you with your digital detoxing include deleting the most distracting apps from your smartphone, and turning off notifications.

And there are apps available to help you kick the habit including Forest, which plants a virtual tree that grows until you quit the app.

The Adver is promoting BBC Wiltshire’s Mental Wealth calendar, which highlights something each day to benefit mental health.