If there’s one common trait that exists among my clients, I think it would be this – how to stop overthinking when you can’t switch off. Almost everyone who comes to see me says some version of this.
Overthinking is nuanced and it’s not always a bad thing. Sometimes it’s the kind of thinking required to solve complex problems but it can often involve looping or repeated thoughts, replaying or rehashing conversations, second-guessing decisions, or having a mind that rarely settles.
It’s this kind of thinking that can be mentally exhausting. It can drain our energy, disrupt sleep and erode our self-trust.
How do you know if it’s overthinking or just normal thinking?
It’s important to distinguish healthy thinking from the kind of thinking that keeps you stuck. It’s a positive thing to make time for planning and resolving problems. You explore an issue, consider your options and move towards a decision. There’s a sense of purpose to your thinking and usually an outcome that closes the loop.
Overthinking feels different. Your thoughts go around in circles and are often on repeat. You might frequently revisit the past and think about how you could change it. Or you jump into the future to anticipate problems that may never happen, or that you couldn’t necessarily prevent. Instead of being productive or helpful, this kind of thinking leaves you anxious, fatigued and overwhelmed.
A helpful way to distinguish the difference is to ask yourself, “Is this thinking helping me, or is it amplifying my stress?”
If your thoughts are moving you forward, they’re very likely healthy. If they leave you feeling confused, tense or exhausted, chances are you may be overthinking.
Why overthinking happens
While it’s true that some of us are born with more of an inclination to worry, overthinking can often be a learned behaviour, which means you have the opportunity to change it. It’s usually a protective response from your earlier years – a way your mind tried to create certainty to keep you physically and emotionally safe.
If you learned to anticipate other people’s moods, minimise conflict or maintain harmony in your childhood home, your mind may have become skilled at scanning for potential problems. Overthinking was a way to stay prepared and feel in control.
The problem is that the strategies that once helped you cope can start to work against you. Instead of offering clarity, overthinking keeps the nervous system on high alert and moves you away from a sense of peace.
Understanding this pattern helps to soften the shame. You’re not wrong for being someone who doesn’t find it easy to switch off. Your brain has been trying to protect you, even if the strategy is outdated and not always helpful. When you recognise this intention, it becomes easier to meet your thoughts with compassion rather than frustration.
What helps you stop overthinking
With time and awareness it is possible to dial down an overly active brain. You may find that the following steps will help.
Accept that you have a busy brain
Some minds are naturally more active than others. If you’re sensitive, conscientious or creative, it’s likely that your mind processes more detail. Stress can make this even more pronounced. Remind yourself that a busy mind is not a flaw – it often reflects depth of insight and care.
Instead of fighting your mind or criticising yourself for thinking too much, try acknowledging what’s happening in the moment:
My mind is busy today, and that’s okay.
Acceptance reduces the internal struggle. Once you have this awareness and you make active choices about your next steps, you stop battling your thoughts and they can start to loosen their grip.
The nervous system connection
Overthinking isn’t just a mental habit; it’s often a physiological response. When your nervous system is on alert, your mind races to match your body’s sense of urgency. You may not have noticed the subtle bracing in your muscles or the shallow breath that signals you’re in a state of stress, but your thoughts respond immediately.
Check in with your body and notice any tension. Then feel your feet on the ground, slow your breathing and relax your shoulders to bring you back into the moment. These simple steps let your body know that you’re safe, which in turn helps your mind to settle. Present moment awareness can help interrupt rumination in a way that trying to force your thinking to stop doesn’t.
Move your body
Once you become more aware of the body’s physical response, movement can also interrupt the overthinking cycle.
A walk around the block can be enough, but other forms of exercise can help too, especially those that involve repetition and deep breathing such as swimming, cycling, yoga, running, strength work or even stretching.
The aim isn’t to push yourself or turn exercise into another task that keeps you busy. It’s an opportunity to become more embodied and present.
Do something creative
When you’re absorbed in any kind of creative pursuit, your attention naturally shifts out of rumination and into the present moment.
The activity doesn’t need to be anything ambitious or impressive. It might be preparing a meal that you love, pulling weeds in your garden, drawing, writing, knitting or playing music. What matters is that you allow yourself to be immersed in the process, rather than focused on the outcome.
Creativity gives your mind somewhere to be present and engaged.
Balance the negative bias
Our brains are wired to detect threat. When you’re tired or under pressure, this negativity bias becomes stronger. You may start imagining worst-case scenarios or assuming things will go wrong. It’s not because you’re being pessimistic; it’s simply how the brain works when it’s stretched.
Balancing this bias doesn’t mean forcing positivity. It means widening the frame. When your mind leaps to the most negative possibility, invite in curiosity and ask yourself what else could be possible. Consider times when things have turned out better than expected and remind yourself of strengths you’ve shown previously. This broader perspective can help you find the middle ground.
Create thinking containers
Rather than trying to eliminate rumination entirely, it can be helpful to give yourself a designated time for thinking. Setting aside a quarter of an hour at the same time each day creates a container for your worries. When repetitive thoughts appear outside that time, tell yourself you’ll return to them later.
At your chosen time, you might find it helpful to write in a ‘stream of consciousness’ way for ten minutes. This can help untangle looping thoughts and give you greater clarity.
Having a time boundary helps train your brain to recognise that it doesn’t need to be constantly on alert.
Allow imperfection
Overthinking can be closely tied to the belief that you need to get everything right to be okay. Decisions feel significant because you fear disappointing others or making an error.
Remind yourself that you don’t need to be perfect. Choose a good-enough option and let the decision stand. Say no without excessive explanation. Give yourself permission to leave a task undone when you’re tired and allow yourself to rest.
These choices teach your mind that you’re balanced and resilient, even without perfection. Over time, they reduce the urge to overthink.
A more peaceful way forward to stop overthinking
You don’t need to silence your thoughts or force your mind into stillness to stop overthinking. Instead, you can learn to relate to your thoughts with kindness, return to the present more often and trust that you’ll find your way to stillness a little more each day.
With practice, you’ll find that you no longer need to over-analyse everything to feel okay. You can move through the world with greater ease, make decisions with more confidence and remember that you don’t need to be perfect to feel good enough.
