ADHD and Sleep Struggles: Why Your Brain Fights Rest
If you have ADHD, you've probably had nights when you know you should sleep, but your brain refuses to shut down. Maybe you're stuck in a late-night hyperfocus session, doom-scrolling on your phone, or just lying in bed, restless. And the next day? Exhausted, frustrated, and promising yourself you'll "sleep early tonight"- only to repeat the cycle.
Why does ADHD Make Sleeping So Hard?
1. Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS)- Many people with ADHD have an internal clock that runs later then neurotypical people. This means your brain naturally resists sleep at "normal" hours.
2. Hyperactive mind at night- Your thoughts don't slow down because the world is quiet. Instead, it might be the only time you have space to think- leading to endless mental rabbit holes.
3. Dopamine-seeking behaviors- When your brain is low on dopamine, it craves stimulation. This can lead to late-night scrolling, binge-watching, or gaming activities that trick your brain into staying awake.
4. Revenge Bedtime Procrastination- You've been mentally exhausted all day, and now that you finally have time for yourself, you don't want to waste it by sleeping.
5. Inconsistent Sleep Routines- People with ADHD often struggle with routines in general, and sleep is no exception. One late night can throw off the whole rhythm.
How to make Sleep Easier
Take a Brain Dump- If your thoughts won't atop racing, grab a notebook and write everything down before bed. If helps your brain to "let go" of the unfinished thoughts.
Create a Low-Stimulation Wind-Down Routine- Dim the lights, avoid screen, and do something calming like reading a book ( a physical book , not an e-book), or listening to soft music.
Set an Alarm for Bedtime, Not Just Waking Up- Many people with ADHD ignore bedtime until its too late, a reminder can help.
Use the "Two-Minute Rule"- If you cant just make yourself go to bed, just get into bed. Tell yourself that you'll stay there for two minutes- often, that's enough to get your body to settle.
Don't Punish Yourself for Bad Sleep- Beating yourself up over another late night only adds stress,. Accept it, and try again tomorrow.
You're not lazy, and you're not broken. ADHD brain just works differently- but with a little self-compassion and the right strategies, sleep can get easier.
With love,
Smiles
@hopefulSmiles6137
setting alarms has been a game-changer for me
@Heather225
Same!!!
I do what my toddler does at bedtime: I look for one more fun thing to look at! And then another one...and maybe several more! LOL
At bedtime, as I'm carrying my son to his bedroom he points at several things and goes "eh? eh?" hoping that I will let him examine each thing, as a way to delay bedtime.
I have an app on my phone called Screen Zen, which locks some of my apps for 10 seconds and keeps them unlocked for 15 minutes. Sometimes the app doesn't work and I end up doom scrolling for an hour after I'm supposed to go to bed.
LOL I figured out that it doesn't work after 10pm because of my "Do Mot Disturb" settings! I fixed it.
@easyScarf7950
Aha! That seems like a more fun approach! Would try that myself, it sounds interesting, these young humans sometimes do know more that us!! He sounds cute!
@hopefulSmiles6137
I think the reason why sleeping is the problem for me is so many of my medicines and deadlines to meet and too much on my plate to clear my mind at bedtime. Any suggestions from anyone? I have tried talking to doctors, therapists, and meditation, and I also tried shutting down everything. Bedtime medicine makes me overly tired and I am a total zombie the next day. I don't want to do anything but sleep. I have had huge sleeping issues for years. I toss and turn and just lie there wide awake. And there are also times I stay up for days and then I sleep for days. And I get so frustrated and stressed from it that I feel like I am going crazy at times.
@Rose1324
Oh that sounds so frustrating Rose, sorry to hear that. Your quality of life goes down when you dont get enough quality sleep. I use herbs, supplements and free hypnosis sessions I found online for my bedtime routine. I also limit my screen time after a certain hour at night and have found that to have made a huge difference. The blue light that emits from screens keeps us alert so I put my phone away after 8pm. Our body makes the hormone melatonin at around 9pm which helps us sleep, so it helps to not disrupt that cycle with screens.
@hopefulSmiles6137
I use alarms as well but not for going to bed. I have one set for 8pm to put my phone away for the night. Works wonders! No more late night doom scrolling and my sleep has never been better. Its the blue light from screens that keeps our brains active. I will usually just watch something on tv or read a paper book to wind down. Occasionally I might use my phone to listen to a meditation or some hypnotherapy before bed but thats it. I also wear blue light blocking glasses from sundown to 8pm when I am using screens. That made a huge difference in my sleep cycle too.
@aCalmOasis
Aha, yes, it does truly help and I've personally tried that strategy few times as well, setting a bed time alarm helps correcting the sleep-wake up pattern, cause i guess sleeping on time helps you wake up on time as well, the clock inside us humans work that way.
@hopefulSmiles6137
Yes exactly! I find if I go to bed at a consistent time, I wake up at a consistent time. I also stopped looking at my phone first thing when I wake up and instead I will sit outside on my balcony and soak up some morning sunshine if its sunny out. That too has helped my circadian rhythm. My sleep has improved so much in the last year, I am proud of myself.
@aCalmOasis
That's great! I'm proud of you as well!
@aCalmOasis
Thank you I will try that and see if helps.
@hopefulSmiles6137im on Vyvanse and had it lowered as it was keeping me up at night on my phone and keeping me from dreaming and getting good quality sleep. I have adhd and it sucks but by zany my other meds has helped me alot! Part of the night thing was being on my phone a while while seeking dopamine I had to stop seeking my phone before bed and after decreasing meds it helped me get better sleep.
@hopefulSmiles6137i can’t write thoughts if spend a hour at night doing that and it kept me up an extra hour later doing that and took away from my sleep.
@hopefulSmiles6137
it would also be the time my brain thinks a lot and seemed like it wanted to stay up longer that regular brains do but I think my body is in rythum now and allowing me to sleep.
@hopefulSmiles6137
wow! this helps a lot. I never knew this
@hopefulSmiles6137
I'm only suspected of being ADHD, upto 8 years for full assessment in UK unless i oay privately. I'm not in any doubt at all, i was diagnosed as hyperactive at just 2 years old and have barely calmed down at all.
I've always had sleep issues and on the odd occasions i did sleep more than a couple continuously i was prone to sleep walking, especially when i was younger but even as an adult it can still happen. On way occasion i had a ride home in a police car at 3 in the morning, I was apprehended whilst asleep trying to get cash from an ATM with a supermarket points card, i was in my 50's.
I've been working night shifts for the past 8.5 years which hasn't really made any difference, I tend to sleep for 2-3 hrs when I get home, often still feel tired but my mind is simply buzzing. I have a few hrs awake then sometimes manage another 1-3 hrs before start of next shift. This pattern often repeats on my nights off work too, is this common with ADHD ?
@hopefulSmiles6137
Thanks for sharing this. It is a very relatable explanation of how ADHD can affect sleep. Many people with ADHD experience similar challenges, especially with racing thoughts, delayed sleep patterns and late night stimulation. Your suggestions such as writing down thoughts before bed and creating a calming wind down routine can really help.
If anyone would like to read more about how ADHD can affect daily life, this article may also be helpful: Blog