Psychology says people who check twice or thrice if they have turned the gas stove off or locked the doors before sleeping do not have OCD, they are just trying to create certainty before rest

For many adults, going to bed is not as simple as turning off the lights. They walk toward their bedroom, pause for a second and suddenly a thought appears. "Did I lock the door?" They get up and check. A few minutes later, another thought arrives. "Did I turn the gas off?" They check again. Sometimes, they check a third time even though they know they already did it. At first glance, this behavior may seem irrational. But psychology suggests it is far more common than people realize. In many cases, people are not forgetting. Their brains are simply seeking certainty before entering the most vulnerable part of the day: sleep. Several psychological theories help explain why.

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The Brain Dislikes Uncertainty More Than People Realize