Sanya Malhotra opens up about overthinking, says she feels ‘mentally exhausted’

Her candid revelation has struck a chord with many people who find themselves trapped in cycles of repetitive thinking. “I have always loved Sanya, but after today’s interview … I am in love with the person. She is vocalising everything that I have felt and thought,” a user commented on the video.

We spoke to a mental health expert to understand how overthinking affects mental health and contributes to emotional exhaustion.

How does overthinking affect mental health?

According to Dr Rimpa Sarkar, PhD, Founder, Sentier Wellness, Mumbai, prolonged overthinking keeps both the mind and body in a heightened state of stress. “Emotional exhaustion can be a very real consequence of chronic overthinking. When someone repeatedly analyses conversations, relationships, possible outcomes or what another person might be thinking, the mind remains engaged even when there is no immediate problem to solve. It can feel as though the brain never gets an opportunity to switch off,” she said.

Dr Sarkar explained that constantly replaying situations or worrying about uncertainties can activate the body’s stress response for extended periods, leading to muscle tension, headaches, fatigue, irritability, poor sleep and difficulty concentrating. “People may also experience decision fatigue because they have spent so much mental energy evaluating possibilities without reaching any real resolution,” she added.

She also noted that relationships often become fertile ground for overthinking because they involve uncertainty. “The mind keeps searching for certainty where complete certainty may simply not be possible,” she said.

Healthy self-reflection vs overthinking

The mental health expert also distinguished between healthy self-reflection and overthinking. While reflection helps people understand situations and move towards action, rumination tends to keep them stuck in repetitive thought loops.

“The simplest distinction is whether thinking is helping you move towards understanding or keeping you trapped in the same emotional loop,” said Dr Sarkar. “Healthy self-reflection eventually leads to insight or action. Overthinking, on the other hand, repeatedly asks the same ‘what if’ questions without generating anything new.”

For people struggling with overthinking, Dr Sarkar recommended asking a simple question: ‘Is this thought helping me understand or act, or am I simply thinking the same thing again?’ If no new insight emerges, reflection may have shifted into rumination.

She said professional help should be considered when overthinking begins interfering with everyday life. “If someone is regularly losing sleep, struggling to concentrate at work, experiencing significant anxiety, repeatedly seeking reassurance, avoiding situations or finding that their relationships are being affected, it may be useful to speak with a mental health professional,” she said, adding that persistent overthinking can sometimes accompany anxiety, depression or other psychological conditions.

Importance of honest communication

For people who need a break from emotional overwhelm, she emphasised the importance of communicating honestly with loved ones instead of withdrawing without explanation. “Someone can simply say, ‘I’m feeling mentally overwhelmed right now and need some time to process things. This isn’t about distancing myself from you. I just need some space to reset.’ Clear communication prevents the other person from having to interpret silence and create their own assumptions,” she said.

To build emotional resilience, Dr Sarkar recommended focusing on small, consistent habits rather than trying to force intrusive thoughts away. Regular exercise, adequate sleep, mindfulness, journaling, limiting excessive social media use and maintaining supportive relationships can all help regulate emotions.

“A lot of overthinking comes from trying to predict every outcome or understand every person’s behaviour,” she said. “Emotional resilience is not about having complete control or never feeling anxious. It is about developing confidence that even when you do not have all the answers, you will be able to handle what comes next.”

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.