Psychotherapist shares the everyday habits that can help you stop overthinking and feel more at peace

Overthinking can quietly drain your mental well-being. Here are some expert-recommended practical tips to overcome overthinking.

There is a kind of exhaustion that has nothing to do with how much you've physically done in a day. It comes from spending hours inside your own head, turning the same thought over and over, looking for an answer that never quite arrives.

Overthinking is one of the most common things people bring into therapy, and almost always, the real problem isn't the situation they're stuck in, but the loop itself. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Chandni Tugnait, MD, psychotherapist, life alchemist, coach, and healer, founder and director at Gateway of Healing, shared tips to help you overcome overthinking.

Name what you're actually doing

The first step is just catching yourself in the act. “Most people don't realise they've been overthinking until they're already deep in it,” said Dr Chandni. When you notice your mind replaying the same scenario or jumping between worst-case outcomes, just naming it out loud, even just saying ‘I'm overthinking right now,’ creates a small but real moment of distance between you and the spiral.

Most people don't realise they've been overthinking until they're already deep in it, (Unsplash)

Ask yourself if this is useful thinking

According to Dr Chandni, there's a difference between genuinely working through a problem and going around in circles. Useful thinking moves somewhere by helping you make a decision, understand something better, or figure out the next step. If you've been thinking about something for an hour and you're no more certain than when you started, that's not problem solving anymore.

Stop trying to think your way out of it

This one surprises people, but overthinking rarely responds well to more thinking. What actually interrupts it is changing what your body is doing. A walk, a workout, cooking something, calling a friend, anything that gives your nervous system something else to engage with. The spiral needs stillness to survive. Take that away, and it usually loses its grip quickly.

Sometimes, overthinking is just a sign that something needs to be said out loud to another person. (Pexel)

Set a worry window

Dr Chandni highlighted that if something genuinely needs your attention, give it a specific time slot. Sit with it properly for twenty minutes, think it through, and then make a conscious decision to step away. It sounds almost too simple, but it works because it gives your mind a container instead of letting the worry bleed into every part of your day.

Sometimes, overthinking is just a sign that something needs to be said out loud to another person rather than rehearsed silently on repeat. A good conversation with someone who actually listens can do more for a racing mind than hours of solo analysis ever will.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.