Fielding 500 thoughts a minute. Planning for any and every eventuality, no matter how likely they are. Near-constant rumination on everything you’ve ever said aloud. For most of us, we’re intimately familiar with what it means to overthink. In fact, research suggests 73% of people aged 25 to 35 chronically overthink, along with 52% of people aged 45 to 55. According to a study by the University of Michigan, women are also significantly more likely than men to fall into patterns of overthinking and feel immobilised by it. But what about the lesser-known but equally valid opposite: the ‘underthinker’?

That’s the person who, even in a crisis, seems virtually unphased. Chronically chill and annoyingly pragmatic, they appear to breeze through even the most complicated situations without concern for what others may think. When trying to be helpful, they’ll say things like, “Try not to worry about it” or “Don’t let it get to you,” not realising just how rare it is to have a mind that’s just quiet a lot of the time. But what is it really like to be able to tune out the noise?

“Overthinking is a natural reaction in the brain and is actually a subconscious survival mechanism. In short, it’s the brain’s way of reviewing situations while predicting potential outcomes and risks,” psychologist Dr Ree Langham from Impulse Therapy tells Stylist. However, for many people, overthinking has become a hindrance to their day-to-day lives, resulting in feelings of anxiety, stress and even depression. It can even impact decision-making.

In response to this, some people may try to underthink, but is that really the better approach?

“It’s not as relaxing as it seems”: what it’s really like to be an ‘underthinker’