How to Stop Overthinking

How to stop overthinking, step by step

• Write it down: get the thought out of your head and onto paper or a notes app
• Set "worry time": a short period, such as 10 or 15 minutes a day, to look at worries and look for solutions
• Postpone the rest: when a worry comes up during the day, tell yourself you will look at it in worry time
• Sort the worry: is it a problem you can act on, or a "what if" you cannot control?
• Make one specific plan for the worries you can act on: what, how and when
• Let go of the ones you cannot control, and shift your attention to something in front of you

Overthinking at night

Thoughts often feel louder when you are trying to sleep. Having worry time earlier in the evening, and keeping a notebook by the bed for anything that comes up, means you can tell yourself the thought is safely written down until tomorrow.

If your body is tense, a slow breathing exercise or a grounding exercise can help you settle before trying to sleep again.

Thinking it through vs going in circles

Reflecting on a problem is useful when it leads somewhere: a decision, a plan, a conversation. Overthinking usually goes in circles, replaying the same scene or imagining the same bad outcome. A quick check is to ask: have I learned anything new in the last ten minutes? If not, it may be time to write it down and switch to something else.

When to get help

If worrying takes up much of your day, affects your sleep for weeks, or comes with panic, low mood or physical symptoms, talk to a doctor or a licensed mental health professional. The GAD-7 self-check on this site can help you put words to how often you feel anxious, but it is a screening tool, not a diagnosis.