How Rumination Impacts Your Mental Health

Is rumination bad for you? Research links it to deeper low moods and harder problem solving, which is why it helps to notice when you are replaying the same negative thoughts and turn your attention to something else, like what you are grateful for. In this short clip, ThisWayUp founder Cat Miller shares what she learned about rumination while she was looking for ways to feel better, and why she sees gratitude as the opposite habit.

Key takeaways

• Rumination means dwelling on the negative over and over. Cat describes it as "wallowing in the negatives."
• In her words, it "can teach your brain to strengthen the neural pathways that are focused on the negative."
• Focusing on gratitude is the opposite habit, and breaking the rumination link can help you feel "much more positive and fulfilled."

What Cat Miller says

Cat came across rumination the way many people do: while searching for anything that might help. "As I was trying to feel better and looking for all the different strategies that research had discussed, I ran across the concept of rumination," she says.

What stuck with her was the idea that dwelling on bad feelings is not neutral. "Wallowing in the negatives really can teach your brain to strengthen the neural pathways that are focused on the negative," she says. She points to the opposite: "the opposite of that is focusing on gratitude."

Why is rumination bad for you?

A thought loop can feel like problem solving, but it rarely is. Research reviewed by psychologist Susan Nolen-Hoeksema and colleagues found that rumination worsens depression, deepens negative thinking and makes problem solving harder, while many experimental studies show that positive distractions relieve a low mood (Nolen-Hoeksema et al., Perspectives on Psychological Science).

Gratitude is one of the easiest redirects to practice. In a well-known set of experiments, people randomly assigned to list things they were grateful for showed higher well-being on several measures than comparison groups, with the clearest boost in positive mood (Emmons and McCullough, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology).

Try a gratitude switch

When you catch yourself replaying a mistake, name it ("I'm ruminating"), then write down three specific things that went okay today or that you appreciate, even small ones. Doing it at the same time each day, like before bed, makes it easier to reach for when a loop starts. For a deeper look at what rumination is and how it affects your body and mood, read why rumination makes anxiety, depression and stress worse, and learn why gratitude is good for your brain.

If ruminating is constant or comes with low mood that won't lift, talk to a doctor or therapist. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 (US).

Video transcript

Transcript (lightly edited for reading):

As I was trying to feel better and looking for all the different strategies that research had discussed, I ran across the concept of rumination. Wallowing in the negatives really can teach your brain to strengthen the neural pathways that are focused on the negative. And so the opposite of that is focusing on gratitude. And so there's strong scientific data supporting breaking the rumination link can really help you feel much more positive and fulfilled.

Common questions

What does "ruminate" mean?

To ruminate is to think about the same upsetting thing over and over, like a past mistake or a worry, without getting closer to a solution. It can feel like problem solving, but it usually keeps you stuck.

How do I stop ruminating at night?

Give your thoughts somewhere to go before bed: jot down what is on your mind and one small next step, then write a few things you are grateful for. If a loop starts in bed, gently bring your attention back to your breath or to something you can feel, like the weight of the blanket.

What is the opposite of rumination?

Cat describes gratitude as the opposite: instead of replaying what went wrong, you deliberately notice what went right or what you appreciate.

What is post-event rumination?

It is replaying a social situation after it happens, such as a conversation, a party or a presentation, and picking apart what you said or did. It is common with social anxiety. Shifting to what went well, or what a kind friend would say about it, can loosen its grip.

About the expert: Cat Miller is the founder of ThisWayUp and a former investment banker with a Harvard MBA.

Related: Quiet Your Wandering Mind: Understanding Rumination