06/17/2025
SHE FOUND THE SECRET THAT BROUGHT HER SLEEP BACK
Anel had lived in the same town her whole life, but lately, nights felt like a trap she couldn’t escape—no matter how early she went to bed, her mind refused to quiet down, and sleep slipped further away like a shadow she could never catch. Every evening, she lay awake, staring at the soft glow of her phone, scrolling without really seeing, feeling more tired with every minute but unable to stop. Her body ached for rest, but her brain buzzed like a city at midnight. One rainy night, desperate and restless, Anel wandered through streets she usually avoided and found herself standing in front of a tiny, dimly lit shop she had never noticed before. Inside was an old woman who didn’t ask questions but offered a simple truth: “Your nights are too bright, and your brain is confused. It needs darkness to know it’s time to sleep.” She gave Anel a small candle and told her to turn off every screen an hour before bed, to sit quietly with the soft light, and to breathe slow and deep. That night, Anel tried something she hadn’t done in years—she put away her phone, lit the candle, and let her mind settle like the calm after a storm. Sleep came quietly, deeply, and with it came dreams she had almost forgotten. When morning arrived, she felt new, like the tired weight inside her had finally lifted. From that day on, Anel learned that sleep wasn’t about forcing her eyes closed—it was about giving her mind the gentle signal that it was okay to rest, and that signal was simple: darkness, stillness, and time away from the glowing screens that stole her nights.
