How does ADHD affect your sleep patterns?
Pharmacist Dirk | Founder Metis Supplements
Last updated: 26 February 2025
A good night's sleep seems self-evident, but for many people with ADHD, it's anything but easy. While most adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep to feel good, people with ADHD often struggle with falling asleep, staying asleep, and waking up feeling rested. This can create a negative spiral: too little sleep exacerbates ADHD symptoms, making it even harder to fall asleep the next night.
Why does ADHD have such a big impact on your sleep? And more importantly: what can you do to sleep better? In this blog, we discuss the causes and provide practical tips to improve your sleep.
What is ADHD?
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is a neurological disorder characterized by attention problems, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. People with ADHD often struggle with concentration, planning, and regulating emotions. This can affect many aspects of daily life, including work, social interactions, and of course, sleep. ADHD also influences how the brain processes stimuli and produces hormones such as dopamine and melatonin, which can contribute to sleep problems.
The impact of ADHD on sleep
Many people with ADHD experience a busy mind that keeps them awake at night. Thoughts continue to race, making it difficult to relax and fall asleep. In addition, the biological clock plays a role; the body produces the sleep hormone melatonin later, which means that natural sleepiness only sets in later in the evening. This makes it difficult to fall asleep at a set time and wake up rested.
In addition, many people with ADHD suffer from specific sleep disorders:
- Insomnia: Often caused by restless thoughts and energy spikes in the evening, negatively affecting both falling asleep and sleep quality.
- Circadian rhythm sleep disorders: Occur when the body is not properly aligned with the natural day-night rhythm, which can lead to problems falling asleep and an irregular sleep rhythm.
- Sleep apnea: Approximately 25% of people with ADHD suffer from sleep apnea, a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, which can result in poor sleep quality and excessive daytime fatigue.
- Restless legs syndrome (RLS): Can be a disruptive factor as it is accompanied by a strong urge to move the legs during sleep, which can severely disrupt sleep.
How can you sleep better with ADHD?
To sleep better with ADHD, it is important to maintain a consistent routine by going to bed and waking up around the same time each day. This helps regulate your biological clock. Avoid naps in the evening and try not to sleep for at least 4 hours before bedtime. Additionally, limit caffeine intake and do not drink caffeinated beverages 4 hours before bedtime, so that your alertness does not remain unnecessarily high. If you use ADHD medication, take it as early as possible in the day to prevent insomnia.
In addition, it can help to avoid screens before bedtime, as the blue light from phones and laptops inhibits the production of melatonin and makes it difficult to fall asleep. Create a calming evening routine by, for example, listening to relaxing music, reading a book, or doing breathing exercises. Also, ensure a quiet sleep environment by keeping your room dark, silent, and cool, and consider earplugs or a sleep mask as an extra aid.