The cost of constant consumption
We are exposed to more information in a single day than our ancestors encountered in a lifetime. The human nervous system is remarkably adaptable, but it was not designed to process a continuous stream of global crises, notifications, and demands on our attention.
In March 2026, I wrote in the Be Aligned newsletter about the importance of protecting the nervous system. When we consume distressing news or engage in endless scrolling, the body often responds as if the threat is happening right here, right now. The sympathetic nervous system engages, cortisol is released, and energy is drained. If this happens continuously, the result is deep, systemic fatigue.
The practice of Pratyahara
In the eight limbs of yoga, the fifth limb is Pratyahara, often translated as "withdrawal of the senses." It does not mean running away to a cave or ignoring the realities of the world. It means consciously choosing where to place your attention and what sensory input you allow to enter your mind.
B.K.S. Iyengar taught that the senses are like wild horses pulling a chariot; if the mind does not hold the reins, the senses will pull you in every direction. Practicing Pratyahara might look like turning off notifications, setting a specific window for reading the news, or simply choosing silence in the car instead of a podcast. It is the discipline of creating space.
"My subject is yoga the path which cultures the body and senses, refines the mind, civilises the intelligence, and takes rest in the soul which is the core." — B.K.S. Iyengar, The Tree of Yoga
How to build energetic boundaries
Protecting your energy requires discernment. You have to learn to distinguish between what is truly nourishing and what is merely distracting or depleting.
One of the most effective ways to do this is through a consistent physical practice. When you practice asana with precision and attention, you draw the mind inward. You learn what your own baseline feels like. Once you know your baseline, it becomes much easier to recognize when an interaction, an environment, or a piece of media is pulling you off-center. Your body will tell you — usually through tension in the breath, a tightening in the gut, or a sudden feeling of exhaustion.
When you notice that shift, the practice is to honor it. Step back. Take a breath. Choose where your energy goes next.