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  • Overwhelm, doomscrolling & sleep: Protecting your mental health in uncertain times

  • Kerry Davies Kerry Davies
  • 14 May 2025 | 6 minutes read
Person holding and scrolling on a smartphone, illustrating doomscrolling and the impact of constant news consumption on mental wellbeing and sleep.

Overwhelm, Doomscrolling & Sleep: Protecting Your Mental Health in Uncertain Times.

Every year on 10 October, World Mental Health Day reminds us of the importance of looking after our mental health and investing in our wellbeing. This year’s theme is overwhelm; when global events and relentless bad news become too much.

This could not feel more relevant.

We’re living in a time where our phones, laptops, and tablets deliver headlines to us within seconds. Crises, conflicts, and uncertainty are all at our fingertips. Even if we’re not directly affected, we’re often repeatedly exposed to traumatic news, which can leave us feeling anxious, helpless, and mentally drained.

And one of the first things this constant overwhelms impacts? Sleep.

 

Woman lying on a sofa looking at her smartphone, illustrating late-night scrolling and the impact of digital overload on sleep and mental wellbeing.

 

How does doomscrolling affect sleep and mental health?

When we scroll through negative headlines or distressing images, our stress response is triggered. The body releases cortisol, a hormone designed to keep us alert. Helpful in a survival situation, but not when you’re trying to unwind and rest.

 
High cortisol in the evening can make it difficult to switch off, fall asleep, and stay asleep. And when we don’t sleep well, our mental health suffers too. We often feel more anxious, less resilient, and more easily overwhelmed.
 
It quickly becomes a vicious cycle: overwhelm → poor sleep → more overwhelm → even worse sleep.

 

Serenova: Nurturing Calm, Naturally.

This is where Serenova’s philosophy complements everything I teach so beautifully. Their whole approach is about nurturing inner calm, restoring the body’s natural balance.

Formulations like Rest & Renew are designed to support your body’s own rhythm, not override it. Your body knows how to rest; it just needs the right conditions to remember.

Woman with eyes closed practising mindful breathing in a calm setting, illustrating simple ways to reset the nervous system and reduce overwhelm before sleep.

 

What practical things can you do to break the cycle?

We can’t control world events (although we may really want to), but we can take steps to protect ourselves and our mental health. Here are some simple, practical ways to reduce overwhelm and protect your sleep:

 
Set boundaries around news consumption. Ask yourself: “How do I feel when I read this? Is it helping or harming me?” Avoid consuming heavy news right before bed.
 
Protect your bedtime routine. Replace late-night doomscrolling with calming activities; journaling, skincare, reading, or music. Try to commit to just one hour of “news-free time” before bed.
 
Look forward to something relaxing. Make bedtime all about you, a ritual that feels calming and restorative.
 
Get your morning daylight. Natural light helps reset your body clock, improves mood, and strengthens your sleep-wake cycle.
 
Reset your nervous system. During the day, pay attention to how news makes you feel. If it triggers stress, pause for a few deep breaths, do a gentle stretch, or step outside for fresh air. Little resets matter.

 

Glass mug of Serenova Rest & Renew chocolate drink on a bedside surface, illustrating a calming bedtime ritual designed to support relaxation and better sleep.

 

Supportive tools that can help.

Alongside healthy sleep habits, supportive tools can make a real difference. Serenova’s Rest & Renew has been carefully designed with ingredients like magnesium, which plays an important role in regulating the nervous system and supporting relaxation.

 
Think of it as part of your wider sleep toolkit, that soothing, warm drink before bed can help you slow down, relax, and transition into your evening routine with more ease.

 

 

On This World Mental Health Day…

Remember: you don’t need to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. Protecting your mental health isn’t about big, sweeping changes at all. It’s about small, daily steps that build resilience over time.

Prioritise your sleep, give yourself permission to rest, and know that when you protect your sleep, you’re protecting your mental health too.

Because good mental health begins with good sleep.

Kerry Davies

  • Kerry Davies

  • Kerry is a passionate sleep expert dedicated to transforming lives through better rest. Known as 'The Sleep Fixer', Kerry's journey began with her own sleep challenges as a mother. With over 14 years helping families, professionals, and individuals, Kerry combines evidence-based sleep science with compassionate, practical guidance.

    Her expertise is built on solid foundations, having completed training at two prestigious sleep schools certified by the British Medical Journal and is an active member of the British Sleep Society. Her commitment to evidence-based practice ensures that her advice is grounded in the latest sleep science research.

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