Rumination

Repetitive, intrusive focus on past distress — replaying events, analyzing causes, dwelling on negative feelings — strongly linked to depression and anxiety.

Why this habit matters

  • Cognition: Heavy ruminators show impaired working memory, slower decision-making, and analysis paralysis under stress.
  • Sleep: Bedtime rumination is a primary driver of sleep-onset insomnia; replaying thoughts blocks the transition to sleep.
  • Mental_health: Rumination 2–4x increases risk of major depression and is the strongest predictor of depressive relapse.

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