ADHD and sleep: Tips for getting a good night's rest
ADHD can make it difficult to get a good night's rest, but sleep is essential for managing your symptoms and maintaining your overall health. Here are some tips for improving your sleep with ADHD:
Create a consistent bedtime routine. Having a consistent bedtime routine can help your body relax and prepare for sleep. This might include activities like reading, taking a warm bath, or listening to calming music.
Avoid screens before bedtime. The blue light emitted by screens can disrupt your body's natural sleep-wake cycle, making it harder to fall asleep. The standard advice is to avoid screens for at least an hour before bedtime. While that sounds simple, ADHDers may need more robust plans and systems such as putting your phone “to bed” in another room in the house, asking for accountability from someone you live with, or rewarding yourself after a streak of successfully going to sleep without your phone.
Ask yourself questions about why it is so difficult to avoid screens at night. Are you lonely? bored? understimulated during the day? Depending on your answer, try to add in more connection, excitement, or movement during the day.
Try relaxation techniques. Techniques like deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or meditation can help you relax and unwind before bed.
Don’t beat yourself up. It is normal for people with ADHD to struggle with bedtime routines and sleep. If you’re struggling, don’t blame yourself for falling off of your schedule. Try something like “It’s okay I’m struggling with sleep because of my ADHD. What can I do today to be better rested for tomorrow?”
Consider medication. If you're struggling with sleep despite trying these strategies, it may be helpful to discuss medication options with your doctor or a psychiatrist. There are several prescription medications and over the counter supplements that can help with sleep, but it's important to work with a healthcare professional to find the right one for you.
Talk to your doctor. If you are consistently getting poor sleep, discuss this with your primary care physician so they can help you rule out any medical causes like sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome.
Discuss your sleep issues with your therapist or a friend. Having someone listen about your struggle and offer support or new ideas may be beneficial.
