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You know how it feels to get a bad night’s sleep. You wake up about as tired as you were when you went to bed; you spend the day in a haze; you find yourself forgetting simple things. For most people, this problem is temporary and can be easily solved. But if you have ADHD, it’s much more complicated.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is characterised by symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. But there’s a lesser-known symptom of ADHD that has flown under the radar for decades: sleep disorders.
Between 25% to 70% of those with ADHD also have trouble sleeping. The similarity between ADHD symptoms and symptoms of sleep disorders (such as memory issues and trouble concentrating) often causes them to go undetected.
The connection between sleep disorders and ADHD is an important one to make, due to the ways both feed into each-other. Lack of sleep can create anxiety or depression, increase irritability and fatigue, and generally get in the way of day-to-day functioning. All of these factors exacerbate symptoms of ADHD, creating profound feelings of helplessness.
To test yourself for ADHD, try our brief online ADHD quiz. But to arm yourself with information on both ADHD and sleep disorders, as well as tips on how to get a better night, keep reading.
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While there are very few studies on the link between ADHD and sleep, some researchers have hypothesised explanations. Dr. Thomas Brown – veteran ADHD researcher – has suggested sleep trouble in those with ADHD to result from impairment regulating arousal and alertness. Many with ADHD report states of hyperfocus starting at night, for example.
Other researchers point to evidence of a delayed circadian rhythm in those with ADHD. The circadian rhythm is your internal clock, how your body knows when to wake up and when to relax, or that roughly an hour of time has passed since you last checked your watch. Dodson, writing for ADDitude, notes that people with ADHD tend to experience time as either ‘now’ or ‘not now’. This can cause serious trouble setting a consistent sleep schedule, or fully grasping the need to sleep for 8 hours a night.
On top of this, common comorbid disorders such as anxiety and depression come with their own negative effects on sleep.
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If none of these help, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or even sleep supplements such as melatonin have been shown to improve sleep for those with ADHD. The important thing is to be aware that your ADHD and trouble sleeping might be connected; from there you can experiment with what works for you to fix the problem.