ADHD Sleep: Sweet Dreams or Nightmare?

By Linda Roggli

Sara has used sleeping pills to calm her ADHD brain for more than five years. “I can’t get to sleep without them, but at least I’m not tossing and turning all night,” she admits.

“Sara” (not her real name) isn’t alone. For many adults with ADHD, sleep is a battleground between an overactive mind and an exhausted body. Research shows that people who sleep fewer than 7.5 hours a night are at greater risk for diabetes, obesity and heart disease. Lack of sleep can mimic ADHD symptoms, doubling the ADHD effect for folks who are sleepless in Seattle (or Toronto or Orlando).

Ironically, ADHD treatment can cause insomnia. Stimulant medications make you alert during the day but can keep you awake at bedtime, if not timed carefully. Even though doctors often suggest avoiding stimulants late in the day to reduce residual effects, some doctors actually prescribe an additional dose of stimulant medication before bedtime to help your ADHD brain focus on the immediate goal: falling asleep.

Many ADHD adults are night owls. If you work late into the night and fall exhausted into bed for three or four hours of sleep before starting the cycle again, you’re risking your health. “Getting by” on minimal sleep is no badge of honor. A 2004 study showed higher mortality among women who slept five hours a night compared to those averaging seven hours.

So how can you consistently achieve that elusive “good night’s sleep?”

• An evening ritual can help you transition between activity and rest. Take a warm bath, read a few pages of a (not-too-exciting) novel, or enjoy a cup of herbal tea.
• Your sleep environment must be inviting. If a lumpy 20-year-old mattress is keeping you from going to bed, quality bedding will be an investment in better sleep and better health.
• When your ADHD brain won’t shut down, try a “brain dump.” Quickly write down all the ideas and worries that are spinning in your head – write fast and furiously for five minutes only. Capturing the ideas on paper frees your mind so you can drift off. Keep the pencil and paper beside your bed to dump any middle-of-the-night brainstorms.
• If you fall asleep only to wake up an hour or two later, try calm, deep breaths, focusing on the exchange of air, similar to meditation. If you’re still awake after 20 minutes, stop the torture. Get out of bed! Listen to soothing music, have a glass of cocoa (warm milk really does help!) or read a magazine until you are drowsy again.
• Do NOT watch TV or surf the Internet! These electronic devices emit light your brain interprets as “dawn’s early light,” which signals you to wake up. If you must work on the computer or watch TV in the evening, try blue light blocker screen filters, which cast a warmish, sunset kind of light over the screen. And yes, there’s an app for that!

What about the sleeping pills that Sara uses? Sleep aids are a temporary bridge for sleep disruption and not for long-term use (more than six months). Research shows that sleep quality suffers with sleeping pills. Medicated sleepers don’t remember waking up during the night because most sleep aids also induce minor amnesia. And because sleep medication shortens the cycles of deep restful sleep, insomniacs taking sleeping pills continue to exhibit signs of irritability and fogginess. Talk to your doctor right away if you find yourself over-relying upon sleeping medication, and consider working with a sleep specialist or sleep therapist to develop new habits and a plan for a better night’s rest.

Despite the obstacles, ADHD adults can achieve a good night’s sleep. Talk to your doctor to ensure your sleep issues aren’t the byproduct of a physical ailment such as sleep apnea. Then try some of the ADHD-friendly suggestions in this article. Sleep tight (don’t let the bed bugs bite!).

Linda Roggli, PCC, celebrates ADD women 40-and-better. Visit her website: www.addiva.net.