How to Worry Less 2026

A few years ago, one of my patients shared a technique they were using successfully to stop worrying from interrupting their sleep. It’s a deceptively simple yet powerful practice that I have shared frequently with others and have used myself.

In the increasingly complex and stressful circumstances we are navigating, it can feel like easy or basic self-care techniques are not strong enough. But simple may be exactly what we need - now more than ever.

So I invite you to try this method of retraining your brain about when, where, and how to worry — and, by extension, when not to worry.

Will it be “enough”? Maybe, maybe not. But there is no harm in trying. You may be surprised by what shifts for you.

The Worry Journal

As my patient explained:

“I give myself permission to worry for 10-20 minutes per day by writing my worries in a journal. This technique is meant to help those of us who awaken in the night, for whatever reason, and then toss and turn for hours thinking about this and that. It's meant to train ourselves to confine our worrying to those 10-20 minutes in daylight only.”

This is a wonderful example of mind/body retraining. Worry is indeed a habit, and habits can be reshaped with practice and consistency.

A few fine-tuning points:

• Literally handwriting in a journal, vs typing on a computer or your phone, is often more potent for mind/body recalibration. That said, if you never write by hand, typing into a Worry Journal document will work just fine. But I encourage you to try going “old school” with pen and paper.

• The writing must happen during daylight hours. If you forget and it’s already dark, don’t journal. This is a great use of your phone: set a daily daytime reminder.

• Set a timer while writing. Stopping when the timer goes off helps train your mind in the habit of containing and redirecting worry.

• Like any habit, change can take some time. Commit to the Worry Journal for 21 days. You may see changes right away, or it may take a bit of time.

If you try this out, please let me know how it goes for you.

May you sleep soundly and peacefully,
Kirstin