Why Anxiety Gets Worse at Night and What Helps?
Living with anxiety can be exhausting. Even small situations can trigger racing thoughts, physical tension, and a constant sense of worry. For many people, anxiety feels like their brain is always on high alert. What’s worse? When it is happening at night when you are exhausted and trying to fall asleep.
The good news is that there are ways to calm your mind and body when anxiety starts to build. In this article, we’ll explore simple strategies that can help you manage anxiety and regain a sense of control.
Why Do This Happen? During the day, your mind is occupied with work, conversations, and tasks. At night, those distractions disappear, so your brain has more space to focus on worries or unresolved thoughts. This is why people often start replaying conversations, thinking about the future, or imagining worst-case scenarios when they lie down to sleep.
Main Strategies / Tips
1. Practice Slow, Deep Breathing
Breathing exercises can help signal to your body that it is safe to relax. When anxiety increases, breathing often becomes shallow and rapid.
Try this simple technique:
Inhale slowly through your nose for 4 seconds
Hold for 4 seconds
Exhale slowly through your mouth for 6 seconds
Repeat for several minutes to help your body shift into a calmer state
2. Create a Consistent Night Routine
A predictable bedtime routine can help train your brain to recognize when it’s time to wind down.
Helpful activities may include:
Reading a calming book
Taking a warm shower
Gentle stretching
Listening to relaxing music
Avoid stimulating activities like intense work or scrolling through stressful content.
3. Write Down Your Thoughts
If your mind starts racing with worries, try writing them down before bed.
A simple method:
List worries on paper
Write possible solutions or next steps
Remind yourself you can address them tomorrow
This technique can help reduce mental clutter and allow your brain to rest.
4. Reduce Screen Time Before Bed
Phones, tablets, and computers can stimulate the brain and interfere with sleep.
Try to avoid screens for 30–60 minutes before bedtime. Instead, choose calming activities that allow your mind to slow down.
5.Get Out of Bed if You Can’t Sleep
If you’ve been lying awake for about 20 minutes, get up and do something relaxing in low light, such as reading or listening to calming music.
This helps your brain avoid associating the bed with stress or worry.
Seek help when anxiety is interupting your sleep to the point where it is not manageable and disruptive to everyday life. If anxiety has been persistent for several weeks or months, and self-help strategies aren’t improving symptoms, it may be time to talk with a therapist or healthcare professional.
Nighttime anxiety usually doesn’t mean something is wrong—it’s often the result of a quiet mind, accumulated stress, and biological rhythms interacting together.
Title: Boundaries in Relationships — Why They Matter and How to Build Them
Introduction Boundaries are the lines that define where one person ends and another begins. In relationships, healthy boundaries protect your emotional well-being, support trust, and create the space for individual growth. Without clear boundaries, people may experience resentment, burnout, or chronic conflict. This post explains what healthy boundaries look like, common boundary challenges, and practical steps to build and maintain them.
What Are Healthy Boundaries?
Emotional boundaries: Separating your feelings from others’ feelings; taking responsibility for your emotions without taking responsibility for others’.
Physical boundaries: Respecting personal space, touch preferences, and privacy.
Time boundaries: Prioritizing commitments and blocking time for rest, work, and relationships.
Intellectual boundaries: Respecting differences in opinions and beliefs without needing to change someone else.
Material boundaries: Managing possessions, money, and lending
Schedule an Appointment:
If you would like support with anxiety or sleep difficulties, feel free to contact our office to schedule an appointment.
Why Do Children Have Tantrums?
Children have tantrums for many reasons, but one of the most common causes is that their brains are still developing. The parts of the brain responsible for emotional regulation and impulse control are not fully developed in young children. This means that when children feel overwhelmed, frustrated, tired, or disappointed, they may not yet have the skills to manage those emotions calmly.
Tantrums may happen when a child is:
Feeling frustrated or unable to express what they need
Overstimulated or overwhelmed
Hungry or tired
Struggling with transitions or changes in routine
Seeking attention or connection
For many children, a tantrum is less about “misbehavior” and more about an inability to cope with big emotions.
What a Tantrum May Be Communicating
Sometimes a tantrum is a child’s way of communicating something they cannot yet say with words. They may be trying to express feelings like:
“I’m overwhelmed.”
“I feel frustrated.”
“I need help.”
“I’m tired or hungry.”
When parents look beyond the behavior and try to understand the emotion behind it, it can help children feel more understood and supported.
How Parents Can Respond to Tantrums
While tantrums can be challenging, the way parents respond can help children gradually learn healthier ways to manage their emotions.
1. Stay Calm
Children often look to adults to understand how to respond in stressful moments. Remaining calm can help prevent the situation from escalating and shows your child that big emotions can be handled safely.
2. Acknowledge Their Feelings
Letting your child know their emotions are understood can help them feel validated.
You might say:
“I see that you’re really upset.”
“It looks like you’re feeling frustrated.”
Acknowledging feelings does not mean approving of the behavior, but it helps children feel seen.
3. Offer Comfort and Support
Some children benefit from reassurance during a tantrum. A calm presence, gentle voice, or comforting touch can help children feel safe as they calm down.
4. Set Clear and Consistent Boundaries
While emotions should be validated, it’s still important to maintain clear limits.
For example:
“I understand that you’re upset, but it’s not okay to hit.”
This helps children learn that all emotions are acceptable, but certain behaviors are not.
5. Teach Emotional Skills Over Time
After the tantrum has passed and your child is calm, it can be helpful to talk about what happened and teach healthier ways to cope with strong emotions.
You might help your child practice:
Naming their feelings
Taking deep breaths
Asking for help
Using words to express frustration
Over time, these skills help children develop stronger emotional regulation
When to Seek Additional Support
Tantrums are common in early childhood. However, if tantrums are very frequent, extremely intense, or continue as children grow older, it may be helpful to seek guidance from a mental health professional.
A therapist can help parents better understand their child’s emotional needs and develop strategies that support healthy emotional development.
If your child is 2 and older and you need help, please reach out.
Why Children Benefit from Social Skills Groups
Many children struggle with social situations at times. Making friends, understanding social cues, managing emotions, and navigating group settings can be challenging—especially for children who experience anxiety, ADHD, autism, or strong emotions.
Social skills groups provide children with a supportive environment where they can practice important social and emotional skills in real time with peers.
What Are Social Skills Groups?
Social skills groups are small, structured groups led by a therapist where children learn and practice skills such as:
taking turns in conversation
understanding body language and facial expressions
managing frustration and big feelings
cooperating with others
problem solving during conflicts
Unlike individual therapy, social skills groups allow children to practice these skills with other children, which is often the most effective way to learn them.
Why Social Skills Are Important
Social skills play a major role in a child’s emotional wellbeing and development. Children who struggle socially may experience:
difficulty making or keeping friends
frustration or emotional outbursts
low confidence in social settings
isolation or loneliness
When children develop stronger social skills, they often gain confidence, resilience, and a greater sense of belonging.
Learning Through Practice
Children learn best through experience and repetition. Social skills groups allow children to:
practice conversations with peers
learn how to enter or join a group activity
navigate disagreements respectfully
read social cues and respond appropriately
These experiences help children feel more comfortable in school, extracurricular activities, and everyday social situations.
A Safe Space for Children with Big Feelings
For children who experience big emotions, social interactions can sometimes feel overwhelming. Social skills groups provide a supportive environment where children can:
learn emotional regulation skills
practice calming strategies
receive gentle guidance from a therapist
build confidence interacting with peers
Children quickly realize they are not alone in their challenges, which can be incredibly empowering.
Building Confidence and Connection
One of the most meaningful outcomes of social skills groups is the opportunity for children to form connections with peers who may have similar experiences. These groups help children understand that everyone is learning and growing.
Over time, children often develop:
increased confidence
improved communication skills
stronger friendships
greater emotional awareness
We offer many types of groups, reach out if you are interested.
How is pychotherapy an alternative or can be used in addition to ABA therapy?
It focuses more on emotional understanding, self-awareness, and mental health rather than primarily changing observable behaviors.
Here are some key differences and ways psychotherapy can serve as an alternative:
1. Focus on Emotional Experience
Psychotherapy emphasizes understanding a person’s thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Rather than focusing mainly on modifying behaviors, therapy helps individuals explore emotions, stress, identity, and relationships.
For many autistic adults, this approach can feel more validating because it centers on personal insight and emotional well-being.
2. Collaborative and Client-Led
Psychotherapy is typically collaborative, meaning the therapist and client work together to identify goals and strategies. Clients are encouraged to share their experiences and help guide the direction of therapy.
This approach often respects autonomy and self-understanding, which many autistic adults find empowering.
3. Mental Health Support
Autistic individuals may experience higher rates of:
Anxiety
Depression
Burnout
Social stress
Psychotherapy can address these mental health challenges directly through approaches such as:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Trauma-informed therapy
Mindfulness-based therapies
Psychodynamic therapy
4. Self-Acceptance and Identity
Psychotherapy often supports individuals in developing self-acceptance and a positive understanding of neurodiversity. Instead of focusing on making someone appear less autistic, therapy can help individuals embrace their strengths and understand their needs.
5. Developing Coping Strategies
Psychotherapy can help individuals develop tools for:
Managing anxiety and sensory overload
Navigating relationships
Setting boundaries
Coping with stress and transitions
Here at Dove Counseling Services we work with individuals of all levels of communication abilities, contact us to find out how.
Big Emotions & Behavior
Why Children Have Tantrums and How Parents Can Respond
This is a question I get asked the most when working with children. Tantrums are a normal part of childhood. While they can be frustrating and overwhelming for parents, tantrums are often a child’s way of expressing emotions they don’t yet know how to manage. Young children are still learning how to understand their feelings, communicate their needs, and regulate their emotions.
Understanding why tantrums happen can help parents respond in ways that support their child’s emotional development.
If you need helping understanding your child’s behaviors please call to schedule an apointment, we can help.
7 Ways to Calm Anxiety Quickly
Practice slow breathing
Ground yourself with the 5-4-3-2-1 method
Move your body
Challenge anxious thoughts
Focus on your senses
Try muscle relaxation
Step away from overstimulation