06/13/2026
Something that doesn't get talked about enough: anxiety at 2am is not a character flaw. It's the brain doing exactly what it was designed to do, scanning for unresolved things, replaying conversations, holding on to uncertainty. The problem is it never quite turns off on its own.
One thing research keeps pointing back to is writing. Not journaling in the "beautiful notebook and perfect handwriting" sense, but actually putting words to what's happening in your head. Neuroscientist Matthew Lieberman found that simply naming an emotion, like writing "I feel dread about tomorrow's meeting" instead of "I feel bad," was associated with reduced activity in the amygdala, the part of the brain that processes threat. A meta-analysis of 146 studies found expressive writing consistently associated with real, if modest, improvements in wellbeing.
The practical piece: you don't need to journal well. You don't need to reach a conclusion. Brain dump for 5 minutes, or just answer one question: "What am I most afraid of right now?" That alone is enough to interrupt the loop.
We wrote a full piece on this for the Murror resources hub, including the science behind it and how the app fits in. (In the comment section)
If anxiety has been on your mind lately, you're in good company here. Drop a comment if this resonates, or if there's something about anxiety or journaling you'd like us to cover next.
