There’s a narrow stretch of time — usually between midnight and 4 a.m. — when otherwise competent, grounded adults wake up and, at times, ‘lose their minds.’

What do I mean by that?

Thoughts arise, many strong and intrusive. Careers suddenly look fragile. Relationships feel doomed. Health concerns turn ominous. The future shrinks, the past grows teeth, and the present feels oddly helpless. Sometimes angst, sometimes anger, sometimes guilt … The Midnight Brain is quite creative in it’s methods of torture.

What’s striking is not just the content of these thoughts, but the timing. The same person, with the same life, would likely handle these tortuous thoughts just fine in the daylight. Yet in the middle of the night, the thoughts feel profound, urgent, and disturbingly believable. These thoughts can cycle over and over, with the victim lying in bed feeling helpless to get off this train of thoughts.

This isn’t your best brain, or your best self giving you guidance or forewarning you or even protecting you.. It’s the Midnight Brain – a tired, unreliable, deceptive and fearful brain.

Between 1 and 4 a.m., the brain is running with diminished frontal oversight and an overactive threat system. The parts responsible for perspective, emotional regulation, and “let’s not overreact” are underpowered, while the alarm center is wide awake and dramatic. The result is what I often call the........

© The Saratogian