Sleep and ADD & ADHD

There is a high incidence, of sleeping problems among adults with ADHD. The most common problem is not being able to fall asleep. Other problems include waking up a lot during the night, and not being able to wake up in the morning. 

Why is sleeping hard if you have ADHD?

The four most common reasons are the following

1. Some medications for ADHD, particular if taken later on in the day, make falling asleep very difficult.
   
   
2. Getting hyper-focused late in the evening. This results in losing track of time and  climbing into bed much later than you would ideally like.
   
   
3. Unable to slow down brain in order to relax and fall asleep
   
   
4. Worrying about the days events or chores left unfinished.
   
   When you are not able to get a good night's sleep, you experience unpleasant symptoms many of which mirror your ADHD symptoms:
   
   Anxiety
   
   Difficulty concentrating
   
   Fatigue
   
   Forgetfulness
   
   Headaches
   
   Hyperactivity
   
   Increased distractibility

However there are positive things you can do to minimize these unwanted symptoms

12 tips to get a good night's sleep

1. Think of a realistic bedtime, and go to bed at the same time each night.
   
   
2. Wake up at the same time each morning, even at the weekend.
   
   
3. Don't nap during the day.
   
   
4. Remember to exercise on a regular basis but not too close to bedtime. Physical exercise will make your body more tired and your sleep more sound.
   
   
5. Do not drink caffeine after 3pm.
   
   
6. Do not smoke or drink alcohol. (alcohol increases the chance of you waking up in the night)
   
   
7. Take up meditation, and practice it for a few minutes in the evening.
   
   
8. Create your own bedtime routine, to send messages to your body and mind that you are winding down. This might include a bath, a cup of herbal tea, or glass of milk (calcium relaxes the body)
   
   
9. Turn off your TV and computer 2 hours before bedtime.
   
   
10. Have a fan, radio, or white noise machine if you find you need some noise to aid you falling asleep.
    
    
11. Think about which activities cause you to hyper-focus or really stimulate you. Then make a conscious effort to avoid them 2 hours before your ideal bedtime.
    
    
12. It takes time to change habits, so be kind to yourself if one night you end up staying up late.