It happens every time.
It’s 3:00 in the morning.
And for no good reason, you’re wide awake.
You’re exhausted. Ready to fall back asleep.
But your brain’s like, Hey, let’s overthink everything instead.
Suddenly, it’s like: Remember that thing you said yesterday?
No? Well, now you do.
And guess what?
Everyone else probably remembers it, too.
They’re probably all still awake, talking about it.
Right now.
But it doesn’t stop there.
Suddenly, you’re wondering, Did I turn off the oven?
Because clearly, in the time you’ve been lying in bed, the oven has somehow decided to ignite the entire kitchen. Now, you’re mentally preparing your family’s fire escape plan.
If you’re wondering why your brain would betray you like this, take heart.
There’s actually a reason for it.
This is, in part, thanks to your amygdala.
The part responsible for emotions like fear and anxiety.
It stays wide awake.
Meanwhile, the part that could actually help, your prefrontal cortex, is not fully engaged.
Totally uninterested in your middle-of-the-night crisis.
That’s why everything feels so much bigger in the wee hours of the morning.
Your brain is basically working with half the team present.
All panic, no perspective.
The emotional part is fully active, while the rational part is on a break.
You’re holding onto things that were never meant for you to carry at 3 a.m.
It’s like gripping heavy weights when your body begs you to let them go.
But instead of releasing, you keep holding on, hoping somehow they will somehow get lighter.
But they don’t.
They only get heavier.
So, what can you do when your thoughts start to spiral when you should be asleep?
Picture yourself dropping a pair of dumbbells.
And then put that mental weight down.
There’s only One who can handle it at that hour.
The One who never needs sleep.
While your brain is busy racing, He is wide awake.
Ready to take that weight from you.
Your thoughts and concerns?
They’ll still be there in the morning.
But you will have slept.
And your prefrontal cortex, the logical, problem-solving part, will be back in action.
Everything that seemed overwhelming at 3 a.m.?
It will look much smaller in the daylight.
From now on when your brain tries to turn molehills into mountains, remind yourself to drop the dumbbells.
Let God handle the weight, and get some rest.
By morning, you’ll have much more clarity to focus on what truly matters.
