It’s finally time to sleep.
The phone is down. The lights are off. Everything is quiet.
Then your brain decides it’s the perfect time to think about absolutely everything.
One teen found themselves replaying conversations from earlier that day, worrying about school starting, and wondering how things were going with a parent who had been struggling. Every time one thought ended, another one showed up.
Overthinking at night can feel especially intense because there aren’t as many distractions. Things that seemed manageable during the day can suddenly feel huge at midnight.
When that happens, trying to force yourself to “stop thinking” usually doesn’t help much.
Instead, it can help to give your brain somewhere else to go. Writing down what’s on your mind, listening to something calming, reading, or taking a few slow breaths can create a little distance from all those thoughts.
Some problems won’t be solved tonight, and that’s okay.
Whatever tomorrow brings can be handled tomorrow. Right now, your job is simply to give yourself permission to rest.
