Sleep Problems & ADHD

On average, 40% of children and adults with ADHD have sleeping difficulties – a rate much higher than in the general population. This commentary explores the increased frequency of sleeping difficulties in children and adults with ADHD. It discusses the kinds of difficulties likely to be affecting bedtime routines and sleeping. It then presents a variety of recommendations that may be helpful to address these various problems.

You can also use Google Scholar to search the journals for many studies that have been published now on this topic.

[andiblac]

I fully appreciate the pajama party theme for this video!

[d.d.d.a.a.a.n.n.n]

Ironically, reading is a very stimulating activity for me. I used to stay up all night reading novels as a kid, and my mom would check on me to make sure my light was off and I was actually asleep, but I would just hide the book under my pillow and hide the reading lamp as well. It's a terrible activity for me to do to wind down before bed, because I will more likely stay up if I read

[recynd]

I’m so pleased you are still active in ADHD research and are offering YouTube videos to the public. As a female who was diagnosed in middle age (~35 yo; I’m now 55), your work has helped explain SO much—a million thanks!

Question: would you consider paper-format books “media”? Podcasts? Music? There are so many forms of media, that it’s hard to know what you mean.

Blessings to you!

[DarrenGerbrandt]

Having experienced sleep issues for as long as I can remember, the problem I always experience is my brain not shutting down. The over-thinking is horrible and the quieter it is the worse it is to fall asleep, over-thinking can be something like just going over the days events in my head, rehearsing stupid useless conversations that will never happen, thinking about what I am going to do the next day, sudden flashes of insight into something, while useful later NOT helpful when trying to fall asleep, ear worms and not just snippets of songs but phrases, words or names repeated ad nauseam until I want to bash my head against the wall to get it to stop, for that last one the only solution I have found is to listen to music, loud enough to hear the words clearly but not loud enough to keep me awake, for the rest white noise something as simple as a fan running.

[petrahoggarth]

So many of my ADHD adult clients have a delayed sleep phase. I've had some really good results pulling the sleep phase earlier with use of light and dark exposure and melatonin six hours before sleep onset. Light wearables like glasses and visors are so convenient to use for morning light exposure. I've had a client move from a sleep onset of 3am to around 11:30pm. It's made a great change to their life, and now with the knowledge of how to shift their circadian rhythm, they are more able to get up for work and are significantly less sleep deprived. I see this as an area where education and treatment need to be widely disseminated.

[tuffymcfukleby]

Why isn't the link between sleep disorders and ADHD talked about MORE? I've know about ADHD for decades but this is the FIRST I'm hearing sleep disorders can exacerbate ADHD. Thank you for this info. Sleep studies for all ADHDers!

[pbpb]

Honestly I experienced the first time after 38 years going to bed without needing a audio book and getting up without using the snooze button 3 times after getting an ADHD diagnose in the age of 45 and started taking a stimulant (Elvanse). Also I feel now awake during the day and I reduced coffin consume from 5 big cups to zero without missing anything.
I'm happy but also angry that I did not discover this earlier and thought that life must be that hard and now discovered that it isn't for most of the people and that it doesn't need to be that hard for me either.

[SIC]

Excellent and very informal video. But the *only* reason you could come up with, as to why ADHD kids have more screen time, is "Parents are using it as a babysitter".
Seriously? That is literally so boomer, and very unprofessional.

I am the one with ADHD, not my kid. But I know for me, I use screens for much more than to just occupy myself:
- Learning stuff. I have so many interests, and am always on the hunt for new things to learn.
- Providing background so I can focus.
- Keeping me awake when intrusive sleep risks making me fall asleep during the day.
- Social interactions which nowadays is a lot online, and even more for my kid.
- Unwinding when I am too tired to do anything, but doing very relaxing activites makes me feel on edge, because they are *too* calm.

[Handle]

Dr. B! You’re on 🔥, sir… so many helpful videos in such quick succession! And you know that ADHD folk tend to not stand on ceremony; we are honoured to hang out with you as you chill in your bathrobe. ☺ Also delighted to watch your subscriber numbers slowly but steadily climb; this is an invaluable gift that you are providing for all of us and I sincerely hope that people around the world will watch, learn and pass it along. Well done! 

I had neither anxiety nor defiance but always issues with sleep as I felt alert, at my most insightful, interested and creative in the evening. Sleep clinics announced I had “delayed onset sleep”… which was no help whatsoever. Diagnosed with ADHD in middle age, I finally understood why. Now I find that comfy headphones, listening to a calm, soothing book or podcast (much more than music) can help me fall asleep. I force myself to lie still as if I toss and turn too much, I’ll miss what the narrator is saying. Focusing on the words of another means that my own brain whirs less, and off to The Land of Nod I gently trudge.

[heartandsoulyoga]

You are a gift to the world with both a sense of humor and such a deep clinical, thoroughly researched and compassionate dedication to those of us who truly suffer with ADHD and it many complexities. Thank you for your ongoing work, your books, your videos and your good will. You are greatly needed and appreciated.

[JerTin-Woodlands]

Wow, this whole video hits home. Everything hits so hard explaining my childhood bedtime that I typed out a novel. Went and saved that in my notes and posted this instead. But, I will share, I did well in school but could never get homework done, or pay close attention in class. I was an oddity to the principal, multiple whacks a day and still would let homework go undone. I’d do well on tests though, but principal had teachers watch me during class to see what I was doing with my time. I had the feelings I was being watched, too, but the consensus was that if I only applied myself I could do something. These squirrels in the head bite sometimes, but I’m doing something worthwhile in spite of them. 😂 🐿️

[kellyalsaleh]

I am one of those 20% whose sleep regulation has improved since stimulant medication. I think it's because it's helps me self-regulate during the day and so night time is less chaotic.

[serenacomeau]

I've learned that "Brown Noise" and "Pink Noise" are much better than "White Noise" for those of us with ADHD.

(Brown Noise is best)

[davidgjam]

I wonder if some of these studies controlled for chronic stress and depression. It's hard for me to imagine chronic stress from ADHD not playing a part in everything I do, and I know that the worse my stress and anxiety are, the worse my sleep is. If I were trying to identify a mechanism, that would be a big one for me.

[pravsd]

I found that walking six to seven thousand steps a day makes it easier to fall asleep. Before this I exercised for 45 minutes a day, but being active throughout the day was more helpful. Even walking half an hour to an hour, a few hours before bed makes it easier to sleep.



Thank you for taking time to make these videos doctor!

[frugalcooking]

I when I was in the elementary school I used to wake up at5 am, prepare my homework and study. I am devastated now after a lifelong struggle not knowning what was wrong with me. Too late now to know that I had and have ADHD. Thanks for the video.

[basiabarbara]

Thanks for the topic🙏🏻 it’s extremely important I believe. I was diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder for years, complex cptsd, and since 2016 started to struggle with severe sleep problems. And this year I was finally diagnosed with ADHD (I’m 43), which explained all. It was blessing🙏🏻… Long story short, I know that for me (adhd combination type), having comorbidity such as GAD, it’s so so much more difficult to manage sleepless nights. Sleep problems became my trauma really. And every time I have bad night sleep, it triggers the hole mechanism of anxiety, which triggers sleep problems, and my ADHD plays a crucial role for both, and creates a vicious circle🤪 (I of course, did years of huge psychotherapy work, good diet, supplements, exercises, which was and is great! But didn’t do much for sleep. And I’ve tried many sleep strategies that actually made me worse. Things like CBTI, sleep hygiene, meditation, etc. And the more work around sleep the worse outcomes, and more anxiety. What helped? antidepressant medications really)… But now when I know my brain better and I accept my differences, is definitely a relief. However, it’s hard to find a resources on the topic, so video like this is definitely helpful. But still I would love to hear or read something specific related to adhd and sleeplessness anxiety🙏🏻

[crashed]

It's reassuring to see a professional endorse the all nighter reset approach. I think many of us have done it at least once.

[Casey]

I relate to this a lot as an adult. Due to family dysfunction as a child, I was responsible for my own bedtime from the time I was ten. At the worst, I would be up until 1am doing homework (went to a private school) and rarely got enough sleep. I had insomnia in college. I got meds for it. I started staying up late to write after I graduated. Since I’ve struggled to find a job, that has continued to the detriment of my social life.

[mirrormirror]

In caveman days us AdHD’s folks were the night watchmen, were security, the fire keepers, and the midnight newborn baby rockers.