Why everything seems so much worse in the middle of the night

It can be hard to shake overthinking, worrying or ruminating when we wake at ungodly hours, because of nocturnal changes in the brain

This feature is part of a National Post series by health reporter Sharon Kirkey on what is keeping us up at night. In the series, Kirkey talks to sleep scientists and brain researchers to explore our obsession with sleep, the seeming lack of it and how we can rest easier.

People tend to slip into a negative place when nature intends them to be asleep. It can be hard to shake the over-thinking, worrying or ruminating, partly because of nocturnal changes in the brain.