If you can’t sleep, your brain might be doing this

How to outsmart your stress

Do you ever get so stressed that you just can’t sleep?

My girlfriend has a highly demanding job, and some nights I can see it on her face. She’ll be lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind racing with all the things that are stressing her out.

On one of those nights, I shared a little trick with her.

It’s based on a fascinating psychological principle called the Zeigarnik Effect. In simple terms, it’s our brain’s obsession with unfinished tasks. Your brain will keep reminding you of everything you haven’t completed, creating a loop of stress that’s hard to escape when you’re trying to sleep.

The only way to stop that race is to convince your brain the tasks won’t be forgotten.

So, I told her to get up, grab a notebook, and write down every single thing that was on her mind. By writing them down, she was creating a trusted, external system. She was telling her brain, “This is captured. We can let it go for now.”

It “closes the loop” and satisfies the Zeigarnik Effect.

Now, it’s the first thing she does when she feels that nightly anxiety creeping in. It gives her permission to let go of the day and finally get some rest.

I love finding these simple, science-backed tips for a better life. If you do too, you might enjoy my weekly newsletter. You can subscribe right here.

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