A hallmark characteristic of ADHD, self-regulation impairment creates issues in all lifestyle routines — and sleep is no exception. Many people living with ADHD find themselves stuck in a vicious cycle where lack of sleep exacerbates the very symptoms that catalyze their inadequate sleep.
For people living with (and without) ADHD, a lack of restful sleep and feeling tired during the day can have devastating effects that are far-reaching, be it in work, school, relationships, or personal responsibilities. These inevitably lead to compounding stress and anxiety — additional triggers for the ADHD brain — potentially making it even harder to accomplish things.
Without the sleep that you need, you may adopt habits to feel alert during the day. But more often than not, these strategies backfire. Amy Marschall, PsyD, a licensed psychologist who treats patients with ADHD, anxiety, and depression, explains, “You might take a nap, you might drink more coffee … The ways you compensate to stay alert during the day cause you to not feel as rested and ready for bed the following night. It becomes that ongoing cycle.”
Naming the struggles
Whether absorbed in a task, struggling to transition from one activity to the next, or overwhelmed in cognitive hyperactivity (i.e., racing thoughts), there are many aspects of ADHD that contribute to problematic sleep.
“People with ADHD experience hyperfocus periods where they get really into what they’re doing and don’t realize how late it’s gotten,” says Dr Marschall, “[They think] ’I’m doing this, so I might as well keep going,’ and it’s harder to shift into that rest, getting ready for bed.”
And for those who do make it to bed at a reasonable hour, the sole act of crawling into bed and the intention to fall asleep often succumb to the ADHD stream of constant thoughts, making it difficult to relax. “Sometimes you have what we call cognitive hyperactivity, which is the racing thoughts,” Marschall says. “It’s really hard to fall asleep because you lay down and your thoughts are still going on.”
Intentional environmental cues
If you experience time blindness, adding cues throughout your environment can help you maintain a more accurate awareness of time, whether in the form of displaying more clocks in your home or setting an alarm on your phone to signal you to get ready for bed. Some opt to connect a timer(s) to table or floor lamps in rooms that they frequent; light turns off—time for sleep.
Environmental cues could also include finding a schedule-oriented family member or roommate whose routine you can shadow, overtly or not, and then personalizing it based on your interests and needs. “It’s less about what you do and more about doing the same thing,” Marschall says. “Your brain pairs it, like, ‘Okay, when I do this, that means it’s starting to be time to get ready for bed.’”
Some people spend the last half hour of the day in dim lighting, while others take a warm shower. Still others lie down and read a book (but opt for a real book with paper pages, not a tablet or smartphone, to avoid light stimulation from the device). By following a set schedule and bedtime routine every night, your brain can start associating those behaviors with winding down and falling asleep.
The no-phone zone
Once you’ve made it into bed, eliminating distractions might help you to fall asleep more quickly. For many, an ever-present smartphone is a temptation at bedtime, and texts, notifications, emails, and the like may wake you up through the night.
Though do-not-disturb settings are somewhat helpful, sleep experts recommend removing your phone from the bedroom completely. They suggest replacing the smartphone alarm with a digital or analog alarm clock to unchain your brain from the common, unhealthy habit of excessively scrolling through the night—or waking only to continue the doom scroll.
Eliminate (or incorporate) background noise
For some with ADHD, any kind of noise in a sleep environment can trigger psychological or even physical activity, making it challenging to drift off. But for many who experience racing thoughts at bedtime, background noise, such as music or television, is essential.
Marschall, who herself has ADHD, finds it helpful to play TV reruns that she’s seen multiple times, citing them as an effective distraction from her thoughts. “My brain is saying, ‘Nope, we’re focused on the storyline. We’re listening to the show,’” she says. “It’s something that is familiar enough, because I’ve seen it many times, that it’s not stimulating me to stay awake.”
Easy-to-rise methods
If sleeping in a dark room encourages sleep, arising in a dark room also encourages sleep or a lack of motivation to get up and moving (at the very least). If you’re groggy every morning, consider adding morning light to your routine, even before you get out of bed.
Instead of using room-darkening blinds or blackout curtains, choose sheer window coverings that let in some natural light. “Having light come in can help your brain to make that adjustment,” Marschall says. “Sunlight can help your brain to say, ‘Okay, it’s time to be awake. It’s time to be alert.’” Many people living with ADHD also find success in using a sunrise alarm clock, which gradually brightens during the 20 or 30 minutes before the alarm goes off so that you wake up in a pleasantly lit space.
The value of sleep coaching
The relationship between ADHD and sleep is both complex and common, with up to 75% of adults with ADHD experiencing difficulty sleeping. But inadequate sleep (and the extensive effects of it) doesn’t have to be your reality. By working with a professional sleep coach, you’ll gain tailored strategies to manage your sleep struggles, practical tools to develop and maintain a consistent routine, and an understanding of the connection between sleep and mental health for positive, lasting change.
Whether you awaken feeling groggy or struggle to drift off, meet with our sleep coach today to transform your sleep and improve your overall well-being.
