How to stop overthinking at night

Your brain replays things at night because it's afraid of forgetting them. The fix isn't to think harder. It's to put them somewhere safe.

1. Empty it, fast and messy

Spend two minutes writing every loop that's running: the email, the awkward thing you said, the dentist. Don't fix anything. Fragments are fine. The goal is to get it out of your head and onto a page.

2. Sort each thought into one of three piles

• Let it go. Most of it. It's done, or it was never yours to carry.
• Keep for tomorrow. It matters, but nothing can happen tonight.
• One small step. Turn it into a single action, like "email Sam before 10".

3. Close the day on purpose

Say it to yourself: the day is closed. Your brain relaxes once it trusts the thought will be there in the morning.

4. One slow minute of breathing

Breathe in for 4, hold for 4, out for 6. Four rounds is about a minute, and the long out-breath helps your body slow down.