Sleep Troubles and ADHD: When Your Mind Won't Wind Down
If you've got ADHD, u know those nights when your body wants to sleep but your mind is like, "Nope, I'm not done yet." You might be hyperfocused on something, doom-scrolling through your phone, or just tossing and turning because you can't shut off. The next day? Exhausted, annoyed with yourself, and swearing you'll hit the hay earlier-only to do it all over aain.
Why does ADHD make falling asleep so tough?
1. Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS) -
Your internal clock is like one of those clocks that's alwaays a bit behind everyone else's. Your brain just isn't ready for bed when most people are.
2. Hyperactive mind at night -
When it gets quiet, your thoughts go into overdrive. The stillness seems to give you endless room to think and get lost in your head.
3. Dopamine-seeking behaviors -
Your brain is low on dopamine, so it's like a little kid at a candy store looking for excitement-binge-watching shows or scrolling social media just to feel awake.
4. Revenge Bedtime Procrastination -
After being mentally drained all day, you want to make the most of your free time by staying up later instead of sleeping.
5. Inconsistent Sleep Routines -
Consistency is not always a strength for people with ADHD. One late night can totally mess up the rest of your week.
How to Make Sleeping Easier
Take a Brain Dump -
If your thoughts are racing, grab a notebook and write them down before you hit the sack. It's like telling your brain it's okay to let go of stuff.
Create a Low-Stimulation Wind-Down Routine -
Dim the lights, avoid screens, read an actual book, or listen to calming music-anything to chill out before bed.
Set an Alarm for Bedtime,Not Just Waking Up -
A lot of us ignore bedtime until it's too late. An alarm can help remind you that sleep time is important.Use the "Two-Minute Rule" -
If you can't just go straight to bed, promise yourself you'll stay there for two minutes. Often, that's enough to calm down and drift off.
Don't Punish Yourself for Another Late Night -
Beating yourself up about a bad night's sleep adds more stress. Accept it, forgive yourself, and give it another shot tomorrow.
You're not lazy or broken; your brain just works differently. With some self-compassion and these tips, better sleep might actually be within reach.
With love,
Smiles
18 Replies
Setting alarms? Total lifesaver. Who needs sleep anyway? Just kidding, they're clutch for staying on track.
SAME TIHNG HERE!
Oh man, bedtime is a wild ride wiht my little guy! He's just like me when i'ts time to wind down-he's always looking for one moore thing to look at before calling it quits.You know the drill-I carry him to his room and he goes "eh? eh?" for every toy or book in sight!
I've got this app called Screen Zen that's supposed to help with screen time, but honestly, it sometimes doesn't do its job right. One minute I'm trying to lock myself away from my phone and the next, I'm scrolling until all hours of the night!
I realized it stops working after 10 p.m. due to my "Do Not Disturb" settings, but I've fixed it now.
Cool. Sounds fun. Might give it a shot. Those kids today know stuff we don't. He sounds cute.
i think my meds r rlly messin with my sleep probs tho i try everything like talkin to docs n therapists n meditatin but nope still not workin. sleeping pills mkae me a zombie the next day and i just wanna sleep all the time. this has been goin on for yrs. tossiin n turnin night after night, wide awake sometimes and then other tims staying up for days straight then crashin. it's so frustrating omg i feel like i'm losing my mind fr.
Oh no, that must be super annoing for you. Sorry to hear about your troubles getting some good rest. I know how important a solid night's sleep is for feeling good and staying healthy throughout the day.
For myself, I've been using herbs and supplements alongside some free hypnosis sessions I stumbled upon online to help wind down at bedtime. Plus, limiting screen time after a certain hour has made such a big difference for me. U know how those screens emit blue light that makes your brain stay awake? So I make sure to put my phone away around 8pm and try not to disturb the melatonin production our body starts making naturally around 9pm. It really seems to help with getting into a better sleep cycle.
I use alarms too, but not for bedtime. I have one set at 8pm to remind me to put away my phone for the night-it really helps! It stops me from staying up late scrolling thrrough stuff and has improved my sleep so much. You know how blue light can keep your brain active, right? After that alarm goes off, I usually just watcch something on TV or read a paper book to unwind. Sometimes I might use my phone for meditation or hypnotherapy before bed, but not often. Also, I wear blue-light blocking glasses from sundown until 8pm when I'm using screens-thta made a big difference in my sleep too.
Certainly, it does help. I have used this approach a few times too. Setting an alarm before bedtime can correct your sleep and waking patterns. It seems that going to bed at the right time aids in waking up on schedule, since our internal clocks function that way
I think that's exactly how it works for me too! If I try to go to bed at a consistent time, I usually wake up around the same time every day. Also, instead of checking my phnoe right away when I wake up, I'll sit outside on my balcony and enjoy some morning sunshine if it's sunny out. That seems to have really helped with my sleep patterns. My sleep has gotten so much better over the last year-I'm pretty proud of that.
Wow, that's awesome! Congrats, seriously, I'm super proud of you too!
Thanks a bunch, I'll give it a shot and see if it does the trick, you know?
On Vyvanse, lowered dose cause it kept me up at night on my damn phone. Couldn't dream either. ADHD sucks but other meds help a lot. Cut back on the phone time and reduced meds, now sleeping better.
Spending an hour each night writing thoughts disrupts my sleep, as it often keeps me awake for another hour afterwards.
You know, around this time of year, my brain tends to go into overdrive. It feels like it's wide awake when everyone else is winding down, which can be pretty exhausting. But lately, it seems like my body has finally caught up with my schedule and is letting me get the sleep I need. Maybe there's something about the season tat just makes everything a bit more balanced, who knows?
Wow, really? It's like discovering the secret recipe for your favorrite cake-mind-blowing! Thanks so much; I'm glad it's useful to you.
Suspected of ADHD, full assessment takes up to 8 years in UK unless paid privately. Diagnosed hyperactive at 2, never calmed down.
Had sleep issues, prone to sleepwalking as kid and adult. Once got picked up by cops at 3 AM trying to use supermarket card in ATM.
Working nights for 8.5 years. Sleep 2-3 hours, feel tired but mind's buzzing.Sometimes another 1-3 hours before work starts. Same on days off. Common with ADDH?
Thanks for sharing! It totally hits home with how ADHD can mess up your sleep. So many people feel the same way-those racing thoughts keeping you up until all hours of the night. But hey, writing stuff down before bed and having a chill routine can seriously make things better.
If anyone wants to learn more about how ADHD impacts day-to-day life, this blog might be super helpful:
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