It can also be conditioned when we internalise voices such as those of critical parents, teachers and peers, as well as advertising that leaves us feeling like we're not up to standard. Ms Vertessy says this kind of thinking doesn't just occur before bed. This basically means our brains are really good at focusing on negative stuff, regardless of our positive experiences. This rather pessimistic way of thinking is referred to as the brain's negativity bias, which American neuroscientist Rick Hanson describes as "like Velcro for bad experiences but Teflon for positive ones". Mulling over how awkward you were at that party is likely your brain is assessing the "threat" of not being accepted. It's a similar story if you fret over social acceptance, as being ostracised is processed in the same area of the brain that processes physical pain.
So if you find yourself agonising over blunders made at work, it's likely you are assessing your performance and looking out for your livelihood. "In hunter-gatherer times, and indeed now, if we weren't paying attention to the cliff or tiger ahead of us because we were distracted by a beautiful sunset, it could spell our demise," Ms Vertessy says. It may feel like your brain is tormenting you, but according to clinical psychologist Deborah Vertessy, we do this out of the primitive need to protect ourselves. So why does our brain seem to cherrypick these random, and somewhat negative, thoughts as we are trying to fall asleep? We're protecting ourselves
While there is no single name for this experience - so let's call it "bed brain" - there are ways to combat these kinds of sleep-depriving thoughts. Or simply how you don't call your dad enough. Or that time you were Facebook stalking your partner's ex and accidentally sent them a friend request (smooth). Like that time you blanked on a colleague's name halfway through introducing them to someone. Just as you're trying to wind down, it decides to play a compilation of some of your most embarrassing, regretful and cringe-worthy memories on shuffle.
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