While most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep to function at their best, for those of us with ADHD, getting quality shut-eye can feel like trying to catch clouds with a butterfly net. If you're nodding along (perhaps at 3 AM), you're in good company. A whopping 67% of adults with ADHD struggle with sleep issues, and up to 80% have a diagnosed sleep disorder.
That's right – your nighttime wrestling match with sleep isn't just you being "bad at bedtime." It's a well-documented challenge that comes with having an ADHD brain. And understanding these common sleep disorders is crucial. Untreated sleep issues can amplify ADHD symptoms, creating a frustrating cycle that affects everything from your focus to your emotional regulation. So before you resign yourself to counting infinite sheep, let’s explore some of the most common sleep disorders seen alongside ADHD.
⏱ Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders and ADHD
Your body’s circadian rhythm acts as a sort of natural clock, queuing your body in on the appropriate times for sleeping and waking. Circadian rhythm sleep disorders interfere with that internal clock. If you’ve ever had jet lag, then you know how disorienting this can be! In fact, jet lag is classified as one of these disorders.
The circadian rhythm sleep disorder most associated with ADHD is Delayed Sleep-Wake Phase Disorder (DSWPD), which causes your circadian rhythm to start and end at least 2 hours later than societal averages. People with DSWPD often fall asleep well after midnight and struggle to wake up during standard morning hours.
🥱 Insomnia and ADHD
Insomnia occurs when poor and/or insufficient sleep affects your feelings and daily functioning.
Research indicates that just over 44% of adults with ADHD meet the diagnostic criteria for insomnia, while almost 64% of adults with ADHD experience insomnia symptoms.
Symptoms of Insomnia include:
- Struggling to fall asleep at night
- Waking up in the middle of the night
- Waking up too early in the morning
- Daytime fatigue
- Mood disruptions
- Challenges with memory and focus
🦵Restless Legs Syndrome and ADHD
Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) causes uncomfortable feelings in the legs and a strong desire to move them. These tingling feelings, triggered by rest, make it challenging to fall asleep.
Although the exact reasons why restless legs syndrome is more common in people with ADHD are unclear, researchers believe that iron and dopamine deficiencies seen in ADHD may be factors.
😮💨 Sleep-Disordered Breathing and ADHD
Sleep-Disordered Breathing (SDB) affects up to one third of people with ADHD. SDB encompasses a variety of conditions that lead to irregular breathing patterns while asleep. SDB includes snoring and the more serious condition of sleep apnea, where individuals stop breathing during sleep.
Symptoms of sleep apnea include:
- Dry mouth upon waking
- Gasping for air while asleep
- Headache upon waking
- Intense daytime fatigue
- Irritability
- Snoring
Why are people with ADHD more prone to sleep disorders?
While researchers haven’t pinned down the exact causes for higher levels of sleep disorders among the ADHD population, here are some factors they believe may contribute:
- ⚫️ ADHD Symptoms: ADHD Symptoms such as hyperactivity, emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, and poor time management can make things like sticking to a sleep schedule, falling asleep, and staying asleep difficult.
- 🧠 Neurology: ADHD Brains have less free-flowing dopamine and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters play important roles in sleep, alertness, and arousal. Research has revealed that the Reticular Activating System (RAS) in ADHD brains shows impaired functioning. The RAS also plays an important role in our alertness and arousal, and is involved in setting our circadian rhythms.
- 💊 ADHD Medications: The most frequently prescribed medications for treating ADHD are stimulants. For some people, insomnia is an unfortunate side effect of this treatment. Non-stimulant medications and antidepressants can also affect sleep patterns.
- 🔗 Co-Occurring Conditions: ADHD rarely shows up alone. Common comorbidities such as anxiety and depression are also associated with sleep problems.
What to do if you think you may have a sleep disorder
- Make an appointment with your doctor to discuss your symptoms. They may ask you to keep a sleep diary, order tests, or refer you to a sleep specialist. Bearable is a great app for tracking symptoms of both ADHD and sleep issues, which you can share with your doctor!
- Practice good sleep hygiene. It’s easy to say “I’ve tried that before, it won’t help,” and hey - maybe it won’t. However, if you arrive at the doctor’s office with sleep issues, this is the first thing they’re going to tell you to try. So if you do it now, consistently, and track how your sleep is with optimal sleep hygiene, you’ll be able to skip wasting time and the doctor will be better informed to determine next directions.
- Try ADHD coaching. An ADHD Coach can also be a valuable resource for slumber struggles! They can help:
- Identify which symptoms and habits may be affecting your sleep struggles
- Implement ADHD-friendly strategies and tools to help you get more shut eye
- Set realistic and manageable goals around sleep
- Provide support and accountability around sleep hygiene
😴 Curious to learn more about ADHD and Sleep?
You may enjoy the following blog posts:
Sleep and ADHD - The Modern ADHD Guide by Shimmer
The Science of Slumber: Delving Into Why We Sleep
What Is Revenge Bedtime Procrastination?
