"My Mind Just Won't Switch Off" What to Do When You're Overthinking Everything

One of the things people often describe to me is the feeling that their mind simply won't stop.

They replay conversations from earlier in the day. They think about everything they need to do tomorrow. They worry about something that might happen next week and then find themselves revisiting something embarrassing that happened several years ago.

Often, this becomes most noticeable when everything else finally becomes quiet.

They get into bed and suddenly their brain seems determined to solve every problem they have ever encountered.

The natural response is usually to try to stop thinking.

Unfortunately, telling yourself not to think about something is surprisingly ineffective. Often, the harder we try to push a thought away, the more attention we give it.

A more useful approach is learning how to respond differently when our mind becomes busy.

You Don't Have to Solve Every Thought

One of the traps we can fall into is assuming that because our brain has produced a thought, we need to do something with it.

Imagine lying in bed and suddenly thinking:

"What if I made the wrong decision at work today?"

Your mind immediately begins investigating.

What exactly did I say?

What did they think?

Should I have done something differently?

Do I need to send an email tomorrow?

Before long, one thought has turned into twenty minutes of analysis.

Sometimes there genuinely is a problem that needs solving.

But sometimes your brain is simply producing a worry.

Learning to recognise the difference can be extremely helpful.

Ask Yourself Whether This Is a Problem You Can Solve

When something is occupying your mind, try asking a simple question:

"Is there something useful I can actually do about this right now?"

If the answer is yes, decide what the next action is.

Perhaps you need to make a telephone call, speak to someone or complete a task. Write it down and decide when you are going to do it.

Once there is a plan, continuing to think about the problem usually adds very little.

If the answer is no, the task becomes different.

Instead of solving the thought, you are practising allowing it to be there without giving it your full attention.

That takes practice, but it can be surprisingly powerful.

Get Things Out of Your Head

Our brains are not particularly good filing cabinets.

When we are worried about forgetting something, the mind tends to keep bringing it back to our attention.

"Don't forget the appointment."

"Remember to reply to that email."

"You need to buy that tomorrow."

Trying to remember everything creates unnecessary mental noise.

Writing things down gives your brain somewhere else to store them.

A notebook beside the bed, a simple to-do list or a note on your phone can all work.

The particular system matters much less than having somewhere you trust to capture things.

Once something is recorded, you no longer need to keep rehearsing it mentally in case you forget.

Give Worry Somewhere to Go

Some people find it helpful to set aside a specific period during the day to think about worries.

This can initially sound strange.

Why would you deliberately schedule time to worry?

The purpose is not to encourage worrying. It is to stop worry spreading across the entire day.

If a worry appears at 11am, you can write it down and return to it during your planned period later.

When that time arrives, some worries will still feel important and can be considered properly. Others will already seem much less significant.

Over time, this can help break the habit of responding immediately to every anxious thought as though it requires urgent attention.

Be Careful With Reassurance

When we are anxious, reassurance feels good.

We ask someone:

"Do you think everything will be okay?"

They reassure us and our anxiety decreases.

The problem is that the relief may not last.

Soon another doubt appears and we need reassurance again.

This can gradually teach the brain that uncertainty is dangerous and that we cannot cope until somebody else tells us everything is fine.

Before seeking reassurance, it can sometimes help to ask yourself:

"Do I actually need new information or am I trying to make this uncomfortable feeling disappear?"

If you already know the answer, more reassurance may provide temporary relief without addressing the underlying worry.

Don't Argue With Every Thought

We often treat thoughts as though they are statements of fact.

"I'm going to embarrass myself."

"Something is going to go wrong."

"Everyone thinks I did badly."

Rather than immediately trying to prove the thought wrong, it can help simply to recognise what it is.

"I'm having the thought that I'm going to embarrass myself."

That small change in language creates a little distance.

The thought is still there, but it is no longer automatically being treated as a prediction.

Our brains produce thousands of thoughts every day.

Not all of them deserve an investigation.

Your Body Matters Too

A busy mind doesn't exist separately from the rest of the body.

Sleep deprivation can make worries feel much more difficult to manage. Large amounts of caffeine can increase physical anxiety. Spending the entire day rushing between tasks without any opportunity to slow down can leave the nervous system constantly activated.

Sometimes the most useful response to overthinking isn't another thinking strategy.

It is going for a walk.

Eating something.

Getting some sleep.

Putting the phone away.

Spending time doing something that absorbs your attention.

These things do not solve every problem, but they can change the state in which your brain is trying to solve them.

A Final Thought

The goal is not to achieve a completely quiet mind.

That is probably unrealistic.

Our brains are designed to think, predict, remember and solve problems. Those abilities are incredibly useful.

The difficulty comes when we begin treating every thought as something that requires our attention.

Sometimes a thought needs action.

Sometimes it needs to be written down for later.

And sometimes it simply needs to be allowed to pass.

Learning the difference can take time.

But one of the most useful things we can learn about our minds is that having a thought does not create an obligation to solve it.

Sometimes you can notice it, acknowledge it and carry on with your day.

Your mind may continue talking.

You don't always have to answer.

Dr James Glass
MBChB MRCPsych
Medical Director, WMI Psychiatry