Why You Overthink at 2 AM (And How to Stop the Spiral)

On YouTube: Sleep Hygiene: Train Your Brain to Fall Asleep and Sleep Better

Category: Overthinking8 Min WatchSource: Therapy in a Nutshell

Emma McAdam, LMFT

KEY TAKEAWAYS

When you're tired and lying still, small problems feel huge — that's a depleted alarm system, not proof they're true.
A wind-down routine tells your brain the day is over so it can stop scanning.
A short thought dump before bed gives unfinished worries a place to land.

Quick notes we pulled for fast reading — not a transcript, and not a substitute for the video.

It's not you — a tired brain and zero distractions. Here's how to mute the noise.

Worry feels like preparing. A short, concrete shift — postpone it, write it down, or do one next action — works better than arguing with it.

You don't have to argue with every thought. Defusion is the skill of seeing a thought as a thought — then choosing the next small step.