ADHD Sleep Tips | Can ADHD Cause Insomnia?
It’s estimated that 25-50% of those diagnosed with ADHD experience sleep issues. And many experts believe different types of ADHD may suffer differing sleep problems.
For instance, those with inattentive type are more likely to be night owls and later bedtimes, those with hyperactive type are more likely to experience insomnia, and those with combined type often experience poor sleep quality and stay up to late.
Many ADHDers experience a cycle of poor sleep quality that leads to exacerbated ADHD symptoms like increased forgetfulness, more distractibility, and a greater inability to follow through on tasks…which could in turn increase your anxiety…which also makes it hard to sleep because you’re ruminating over everything you forgot, that distracted you, or that you weren’t able to complete during the day.
That’s why I wanted to dive into the question does ADHD cause insomnia or other sleep disorders as well as strategies to help you sleep better.
ADHD Sleep Issues
Many of us with ADHD struggle to fall sleep, stay asleep, and wake from sleep. And when we struggle with one or all of these aspects of sleep, our ADHD symptoms and executive function deficits increase.
And I don’t know about you, but I need all the help I can get when it comes to managing life as a mom business owner with ADHD.
There is little research but lots of theories as to why those of us with ADHD struggle with our sleep….
Some theorize it’s due to the dysregulation of neurotransmitters and how that affects our arousal and attention cycle.
Other’s think it may be due to our struggle with impulsivity.
Still other’s blame it on stimulant medication, although I’ve met plenty of non-medicated ADHDers who struggle with sleep.
It could also be that whatever allows you to hyperfocus on finishing that work project for hours on end also allows you to hyperfocus on that stupid thing you said to the other mom at the birthday party 2 years ago while you ruminate on if that’s why she never called for a playdate with your kid while you’re trying to fall asleep.
While there aren’t a lot of answers as to why so many of us with ADHD struggle to sleep, I can answer some ADHD related sleep questions. Let’s start with can ADHD cause insomnia…
Can ADHD Cause Insomnia?
Insomnia is defined as habitual sleeplessness or the inability to sleep. The reason many of us with ADHD may struggle with sleep could be due to the fact that ADHD impairs the regulation of brain activity and often affects sleep patterns.
You may also experience sleep issues if you’re prescribed stimulant medications, are prone to anxiety or racing thoughts when your body slows down, or you’re just a night owl that can’t seem to get on a typical sleep pattern.
To be honest, science isn’t 100% sure why any of us, ADHD or not, struggle with sleeping. But they do what happens when we don’t get enough sleep.
You’re already struggling executive function has even less in the tank to help you focus, prioritize, problem solve, pay attention, control you impulses, regulate your mood, or remember anything. Like anything.
But insomnia isn’t the only sleep issue those of us with ADHD may encounter. You may also suffer from delayed circadian rhythms, meaning the natural genetic tendency of the human body to rise with the sun and sleep when it gets dark is delayed, meaning while the rest of the world sleeps, you’re brain is just starting to wind down. This may be biological, like your body isn’t releasing it’s melatonin at the proper time to help you wind down. Or it could be due to use of bright lights or the blue lights from screens that can throw off our bodies internal clock.
Those of us with ADHD also have a higher likelihood to experience Restless Legs Syndrome, which may cause your legs to feel uncomfortable, tingly, or an overwhelming need to move them. And do you wanna know the suspected reason why many of us ADHDers may suffer from restless legs as we try to fall asleep? Well, let’s just say it’s suggested that our good friend dopamine is involved with controlling muscle movement. Disruption of dopamine levels in the brain can often lead to involuntary movements, which you may notice in your daily ADHD life showing up as tapping your fingers, bouncing your foot, or constantly shifting in your seat.
As many as a third of us with ADHD also struggle with sleep disordered breathing like snoring or sleep apnea. These sleep disorders drastically affect the quality of the sleep you actually get. So even if you are someone with ADHD that can fall and stay asleep, because your sleep quality is so low, you may still experience executive function struggles.
What Helps ADHD Sleep?
But just because we have a high likelihood of experiencing disturbed sleep doesn’t mean we have to just accept it. There are plenty of strategies to answer the question “What helps ADHDers sleep?”
Many of these are behavioral changes you can make that will cost you little or no money but may make a major impact on your ability to fall, stay, and wake up from sleep.
First, try creating a calming bedtime routine. Think about what relaxes you…is it sleeping? Warm beverages? A hot shower? Sex? Reading? It doesn’t have to be long or complicated. Just build a simple routine that helps to signal to your brain “It’s time to wind down and go to bed”
Speaking of signaling to your brain, it’s important for us ADHDers to avoid screens in the hours before bedtime. And trust me, I realize how difficult this may be. But as we talked about earlier, the blue light from screens can greatly impact our circadium rhythms and our ability to fall asleep. Turning off your screens can help your body start to re-regulate the release of melatonin to help you sleep.
I can also be beneficial to cut off your intake of sugar, caffeine, and alcohol a few hours before you want to head to bed. Since sugar and caffeine are stimulants, it makes sense they could affect your ability to shut down. And even though alcohol often makes people sleepy, it has a major impact on restlessness and the quality of your sleep. So it’s best to switch to water or warm milk a few hours before you want to turn in.
Next, make your bedroom as dark and cool as possible. In general, we humans sleep best when it’s a little chilly and no light is creeping in. You may also want to try a white noise machine or fan to help cut through the quiet if the silence causes your head to spin.
Habits that can help improve your sleep include getting regular physical activity is a big one. In addition to burning through some of that excess hyperactivity and energy you’ve got, studies have also shown that moving your body improves sleep patterns in adults with insomnia and sleep apnea. And a 2020 controlled trial found that HIIT workouts improved the quality of sleep including how long participants slept and how often they woke after falling asleep.
And finally, try to keep a regular schedule because it can also go a long way in helping overcome sleep issues you may be experiencing. While I know many of you wouldn’t be thrilled to give up your late mornings on your days off, keeping consistent sleep and wake times is kind of crucial to helping improve your sleep.
I do have 2 quick purchase suggestions to try in addition to these behavioral changes. First, you could try a weighted blanket. It was too hot for me, but that’s because I’m a perimenopausal woman who wakes up roasting nearly every night. 🥵 But my ADHD son swears by his.
The second suggestion is using an app like Calm or Headspace to listen to a sleep story. It may take some time to train your brain to focus on the story instead of your thoughts, but once you do, the time it takes you to fall asleep will dramatically decrease.
And if all else fails, talk to your doctor. You don’t have to “just deal with”.
And hopefully hearing how lack of sleep can impact your executive function and health helps you see how important it is that you construct a solid sleep plan, especially if you’re a busy mom juggling all the things associated with running a business and family.
If you’re struggling to put together an evening routine that helps you wind down and get sleep, I’m here to help! Part of the work I do with my ADHD coaching clients is to discuss and create new routines that help them improve their lives and keep their brains and bodies running at full capacity.
To learn more about how I can support you, click the button below to schedule your free, no-obligation call with me to discuss your goals.
