The mind that never sleeps: South Africa leads as world’s top nation for overthinking

If you’ve ever found yourself staring at the ceiling at 2am, replaying a conversation or stressing over the rising cost of bread, you’re in good company - in fact, you’re living in the overthinking capital of the world.

A new global study by MoneySuperMarket has crunched the numbers on mental noise, and the results are in: South Africans are the world champions of overthinking.

While we’re known for our resilience and "local is lekker" spirit, it seems that beneath the surface, our minds are working overtime.

The heavy weight of "What if?"

The survey, which polled over 3800 people across 20 countries, found that a staggering 75% of South Africans admit to overthinking "often" or "very often".

To put that in perspective, we’re out-worrying Poland (71%), Greece (70%), Mexico (68%) and Portugal (67%).

There is no "calm" zone on the map. Even the countries that overthink the least are still crossing the 50% threshold. Germany (54%), UK (56%), Japan (56%), USA (56%) and Australia (57%). 

But it’s not just that we worry - it’s how much time it’s stealing from our lives.

• The global average: Most people spend about 90 minutes a day overthinking.

• The South African reality: We are clocking in at 135 minutes per day.

That adds up to roughly 34 days a year spent dwelling on the past or stressing about the future. That is over a month of our lives every year lost to the "mental hamster wheel".

Mexico with 114 minutes, and Portugal with 102 minutes follow close behind. Whereas, the UK, 73 minutes and Germany, 72 minutes recorded the lowest time spent overthinking, around 16 minutes below average.  

What’s keeping Mzansi up at night?

While European nations like France and Portugal tend to lose sleep over matters of the heart, South Africans are focused on the bottom line - 81% of us cited money and finances as our primary source of stress.

This "mental load" is having a direct impact on our physical health, specifically our sleep.

South Africans lose an average of 42.4 minutes of shut-eye every night because they can’t switch their brains off. That’s the highest sleep loss recorded in the study.

How the world (and SA) tries to cope

So, how are we dealing with the noise? The study found that most people are DIY-ing their mental health rather than seeking professional help.

Only 9% of people globally turn to therapy. Instead, we’re leaning on:

1. Breaking a sweat: 51% use exercise to clear their heads.

2. Escapism: 49% turn to Netflix, gaming or music.

3. The great outdoors: 44% find peace in nature.

4. Phone-a-friend: 42% rely on venting to family and friends.

"Overthinking can take a real toll - from lost sleep to reduced focus and productivity. Our research shows this is something people everywhere are dealing with. Whether it’s financial stress or social pressures, these worries are universal," shares Kara Gammell, life insurance expert at MoneySuperMarket.

"As the world continues to face issues out of our control, the research reveals just how burdened we are feeling by the mental noise. Finding healthy ways to manage them is key," she said. 

Being the world's leading overthinkers might feel like a heavy title to carry, but it’s also a reminder to be kinder to ourselves.

Whether it's a walk on the beach or a braai with friends, finding ways to "mute" the internal monologue isn't just a luxury - it's a necessity for our wellbeing.