The Sleep-ADHD Paradox: Why Can't I Get a Good Night's Sleep?

Did you know that many people with ADHD also have sleep problems? Research is showing that the disorder itself changes your circadian rhythm. That’s what this video is about.

WANT TO START IN THERAPY? Here’s a convenient and affordable option with my sponsor BetterHelp

For a monthly fee, you get a REAL licensed therapist with whom you can meet weekly by phone, video or chat. You can also send daily messages.

Disclaimer: All of the information on this channel is for educational purposes and not intended to be specific/personal medical advice from me to you. Watching the videos or getting answers to comments/question, does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. If you have your own doctor, perhaps these videos can help prepare you for your discussion with your doctor.

[tayzonday]

If I slept better, I’d have missed watching this at 5:50 AM PST ❤️

[Nellzurkat]

It sucks, working 8 hours a day, commuting and keeping up with social obligations sucks the life out of you, then you get home to workout and eat dinner and then it's time to go to bed...it's depressing.
The late hours of the night are my favorite it just sucks to be tired through out the day.

[saeedtorres]

I have never felt so seen and heard before. Every psychiatrist since I was 12 has misdiagnosed me or not actually taken the time to hear all my symptoms and help me understand what my brain is doing and what it needs to feel better. Thank you Dr. marks ❤ you’re a wonderful human

[redchen]

Give the animator a raise! 😊 it makes the video very approachable

[RustFox]

I always feel like such a toddler whenever I throw a mini tantrum by myself about having to go to bed. Hate bedtime, it's so mindnumbingly boring and at the same time really agitating having to lie down and not do things until you just fall asleep. :P

[Lao-Lin]

Often times I'm on the couch almost falling asleep. Okay then, let's slowly stand up, crouch to the (dark) bathroom, brush teeth calmly, lay in bed smoothly. Boom, wide awake👍 Noice

[finnen]

this makes so much sense. i've had trouble explaining why I just can't get to bed and i just can't turn off the computer, because ADHD brain is always seeking stimulation, which makes you lose track of time, then boom it's suddenly 4am and I'm not even tired yet.

[youve_got_gold]

Amazing how accurate these videos are describing what I experience. When I was younger, and years before I ever heard of ADHD, I used to call it EEP - Evil Evening Persona. Wake up tired AF, swear I would go to bed early that night then when evening arrived, my mental energy would start surging and I would do anything except go to bed. 10pm to 2am has always been my favorite time of day, which is not compatible with getting enough sleep for school/work. Now, to get to sleep before midnight without meds, I need physical exhaustion. 2 x 45 min intense cardio sessions a day is good but doing a workout in the morning is difficult.

[saraa]

For me the problem isn't falling asleep, it's staying asleep. Melatonin can help, but it also makes me groggy sometimes. Even exercising to the point of physical exhaustion doesn't necessarily mean a good night's sleep for me. Sometimes it feels like I never really woke up at all until it's after dinner and then I can't sleep that night.

[mousegrey]

Falling asleep feels almost unnatural unless I’m exhausted enough that’s it’s more like passing out than falling asleep. Random thoughts and natural curiosity, anxiety, and muscle twitches/spasms all impact falling asleep for me. Add that to problems with timing my meds, suddenly realising I’m starving, insanely thirsty, or desperately need to pee, too hot/cold, almost asleep when I get pins and needles because my head was on my arm, etc etc etc…

[John-fzuo]

This is exactly what I go through with my adhd. I was up until just past 3:30am lastnight - tired but wired! Fixated on something I want to buy and can't go to bed until I'm done researching it over and over again. It can be exhausting.

[scott]

As someone who got diagnosed at 34 about two months ago, your ADHD videos have been incredible and describe me to a T. It's like watching a video about myself.

[marie_h]

It makes a lot of sense. I've always been a "night owl" but I also have issues falling asleep. Haven't been officially been diagnosed with ADHD but the symptoms I'm dealing with line up.

[m_d]

Oh yes, the sleep fun with ADHD! Insomnia is so familiar. If I stick with my "disordered" sleep pattern, I'm much better off. Sadly it's a dysfunction in the 9-5 world.

Edit: I've tried all the sleep hygiene habits and the schedule always loses. I'm happiest if I go to sleep between 2 or 3 am and sleep 10 hours, then I feel awake and function better.

[waltjohnston]

After 50 years of struggling with this I see it's not a weakness in character. Thanks.

[catc]

This is literally my life 😢. So glad I’m not alone.

[xchrysantha]

I appreciate this information and am thankful for you making this readily available; but I think what annoys me about this discourse (which I have also gotten from my family, friends, and psychiatrist several times and have even been shamed for not having "good sleep hygiene") is that I do not want to sacrifice the IMMENSE creativity and productivity I have in that evening window, that I NEVER, EVER feel any other time of the day no matter how much I've "fixed" my sleep schedule. Even when I had a regular 9-5 and an organized bedtime routine, I would still feel like I was just coasting through the day in a half dream. But in the evening, I COME ALIVE. I access joy and excitement and love and all of the incredible things that make life even worth living. And when left to my devices, I naturally go to sleep around 3am, wake up at 10am, and am COMPLETELY ready and alert to take on the day. I've gotten to the point where I am looking for jobs that match my schedule rather than the other way around because I've accepted that it's absolutely ridiculous for others to expect me to function at their level in the structures that work for them but not for me.

[margothutton]

This works! And luckily I discovered I had more sleep problems because of it!
If you've been told (like I was) that your imperfections are failures and your struggles are personality flaws, I'm sorry you were forced to feel that and I'm sending an internet hug to you right now. Sometimes people can do everything right and still not get the needed results, and that's because they need--and deserve--more help. You deserve help.

What happened with me is that I'm ADHD and my psychiatrist was concerned about my sleep. The sleep specialist said I have a benign sleep function called delayed (something), where my body is just most comfortable going to bed at 12-1am and waking up later in the morning. I was using all the tips and tricks that were viable to my life, but I still slept 10 to 12 hours and woke up feeling unrested. All of these things in the video helped me get up earlier and go to bed earlier, but because they didn't improve my sleep (as they do for many people) I was frustrated about all these steps, and things to remember, and alarms, and etc etc that I just wanted to give up on it all. So, we did a sleep study. I am a young, average weight woman, and I have sleep apnea, which turns out to be much more common in younger, average wight people than commonly thought. I did everything right. I just didn't know I needed a little robot to give me mouth-to-mouth every night. I'm looking forward to getting better sleep soon!

[beauthesuperawesomemagical]

This has been me my whole life. Tired asf at 3pm and as soon as it hits 9pm I’m wired and when I try to sleep I literally can’t stop moving and my brain won’t turn off

[alphafert]

After 40yrs I finally nailed waking using a sunrise alarm, 2 phones with multiple alarms & a lot of water before bed so I have to pee bad in the morning. Now I hope I can figure out going to bed & staying asleep.