Doom Scrolling, Sleepless Nights — and What Helps Afterwards
A personal reflection on influence, routines, and the edges of the day
A few weeks ago, late in the evening, I read that a glacier in Nepal had broken. Villages flooded, people missing — and in the background — Iran, developments in Ukraine, the increasing militarization of Europe — things that feel like they're all escalating at once. I put my phone down. And then picked it up again. Didn't sleep properly for several nights.
This is no longer an exception. Especially in Europe, this is keenly felt right now — economic insecurity, ecological crises, political upheavals. Much of it is real and pressing. And at the same time: you can't carry everything at once.
What helps — at least for me — is the idea from Yoga, which Patanjali already formulated in the Yoga Sutras:
"Yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ" — Yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind. — Patanjali, Yoga Sutra 1.2
Not stilling the world. Stillling one's own mind. That is the sphere of influence that is truly within our control. Supporting NGOs, conscious consumption, local action — all of this has its place. And likewise: protecting one's own inner state. Because both belong together.
What this means in daily life is most clearly shown at the edges of the day — the first and last minutes, when we are most vulnerable and yet most malleable.
How the Day Begins
In the first minutes after waking, the brain is still in a Theta state — between sleep and wakefulness, open and receptive. What is absorbed during this time sets the emotional framework for everything that follows. If the first image is a headline, that framework is set — before the day has even begun.
The first half hour without a screen. A simple alarm clock makes this possible — the phone doesn't have to be in the bedroom. This one step changes the morning more than anything else.
Before getting up: three deep breaths. Inhale for four counts, exhale for six. The parasympathetic nervous system is activated, the nervous system receives the signal: a calm start.
In Ayurveda, the morning begins with a large glass of lukewarm water — Ushapan — ideally with a little lemon. Before coffee, before everything else. The body gets what it needs most urgently after eight hours.
What is truly important today? Not the to-do list — but what really matters. This question, before the day sets its own agenda, changes the orientation of the next few hours.
How the Day Ends
On the evening with the Nepal news, I stopped reading too late. The result was hours with thoughts I couldn't switch off — not because the situation wasn't serious, but because the nervous system had no transition. It cannot switch directly from full activity to deep sleep. The evening needs a buffer.
Blue light inhibits melatonin production. Sixty minutes without a screen before bed is the most effective single measure for better sleep quality. If you want to start with 30 minutes — that counts too.
A few drops of Nidra Deep Sleep Oil on temples, neck, and soles of the feet. The Marma points in these areas directly address the nervous system. Jatamansi and Night Jasmine signal to the body: the day is over.
What was good today? What will I take with me tomorrow? What will I let go of today? The last question is crucial — the brain processes in sleep what remained open during the day. Writing it down gives the mind permission to let go.
A cup of Herba Verde Tea — slowly, without distraction. Not as an afterthought. As a transition between day and night.
If the mind won't stop: inhale for four counts, hold for seven, exhale for eight. Repeat three times. The nervous system relaxes within minutes. On evenings like the Nepal evening, this helps.
Being stable is also a form of action
The world won't get quieter. But the edges of the day belong to us — and there's more in that than it sounds at first.
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