A phenomenon known as rumination causes chronic overthinking, triggering a physical stress response that leads to fatigue, muscle tension and poor sleep.
You are lying in bed long after midnight. The meeting ended six hours ago. The disagreement with your partner happened yesterday. That awkward comment you made at a braai was last weekend. Yet somehow, your brain has decided none of it is over.
You replay the conversation. Rewrite your response. Imagine what you should have said. Then replay it all over again. If this sounds familiar, you're not alone.
Mental health experts call this rumination the habit of repeatedly thinking about a problem, mistake or upsetting experience long after it has happened.
While it can feel like problem-solving, experts say it often does the opposite.
