
Sleep is essential to mental wellbeing; unfortunately, many individuals with adhd have trouble sleeping through the night and falling asleep quickly enough, which can negatively impact their mood and make day-to-day functioning difficult.
ADHD patients frequently exhibit delayed sleep phase syndrome. This disorder occurs when their circadian rhythm becomes misalign with normal sleeping and wake-up cycles, disrupting normal sleeping-wake patterns.
What is sleep?
Long considered a passive state, sleep was once thought of as just rest and recuperation for mind and body. But researchers have since revealed that when one enters into deep slumber, many changes occur: energy levels decrease, certain chemicals are released, electrical activity slows down and electrical activity switches to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep – commonly associated with dreaming. Sleep is essential to our health: it allows our bodies to repair themselves from daily activities as well as learning and memory consolidation; additionally it strengthens immunity allowing us to cope better when recovering from illness or stress relief.
Some individuals with ADHD often struggle to sleep enough and have trouble falling or staying asleep, leading them to experience daytime symptoms such as difficulty focusing, forgetfulness and easily distractedness that can make completing work or school tasks challenging. Furthermore, this issue can increase depression risk, anxiety, obesity and heart disease risk significantly.
Studies indicate that children with ADHD or sleep disorders such as narcolepsy have difficulty falling and staying asleep than children without these conditions, while some adults living with ADHD also struggle with sleeping issues which contribute to difficulties with focus and attention at school or work.
David Rechtschaffen made an important discovery in 1983: mammals deprive of sleep for more than two weeks will die quickly. This observation led him to undertake further investigation of its nature and benefits.
Delay Sleep-Wake Phase Syndrome, or DSPS, is an increasingly prevalent sleep condition found among both children and adults living with ADHD. This condition delays the natural release of melatonin – necessary for sleep – by up to two hours; disrupting their circadian rhythm and leading them to be tired during the day or sleep past their alarm clock in the morning.
Some individuals with ADHD and DSPS take medications that aid their sleep at night, such as melatonin or stimulants like atomoxetine and methylphenidate; experts are still evaluating these treatments’ efficacy for people living with the conditions.
What are the stages of sleep?
Each night, your body goes through cycles of sleep: light to deep sleep to REM (rapid eye movement). For optimal restful restful slumber, these stages must cycle several times so your body has time to fully rest and restore itself between cycles. Every stage plays an essential part in mental and physical wellbeing; getting adequate amounts can leave you feeling revitalized the following morning.
Non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep is the initial phase of sleep, wherein you will likely experience jerking movements that are harmless and should not cause concern. At this stage, muscles start relaxing as your heart rate slows and body temperature falls; brain waves will sometimes switch from regular patterns of activity to single bursts of delta waves called spindles which indicate when you are entering NREM 2. These bursts typically last only seconds but serve as an indication that NREM 2 stage of sleep has begun.
NREM 2 is the lightest phase of sleep and typically occurs early in the night. Your eyes should remain closed but occasional jerks may cause you to open them briefly. Your muscles will relax completely during this phase and you may experience brief bursts of rapid brain activity called K-complexes; single delta wave patterns which usually last a second.
At this phase of deep NREM sleep, your body works to repair damaged tissue and muscles. Immunity is strengthened, bones grow stronger, hormones released to promote healing are released – this is why children need more of this type of rest than adults do.
REM sleep, or Rapid Eye Movement Sleep, involves rapid eye movements and vivid dreams. This part of your sleep cycle provides mental restoration by consolidating memories from prior sleep cycles into long-term memory stores; short-term memories are converted to permanent ones during this period too – making waking up during REM difficult but remembering dreams the following morning more likely than not!
Why is sleep important?
People living with ADHD often struggle to sleep soundly, which can interfere with daytime functioning and diminish productivity. Some of these issues stem from ADHD itself while others can be compounded by sleep disorders or coexisting conditions like anxiety and depression that often accompany it. Caffeine and certain ADHD medications can interfere with restful slumber while lack of exercise, poor diet or electronic devices such as television, smartphones and video games may all interfere.
People with ADHD often don’t sleep soundly, even if they get to bed on time. One study discovered that when ADHD individuals go to bed, their levels of the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin rise 1.5 hours later than those without the disorder, making sleep slower and deeper stages unavailable; additionally, more frequent awakenings throughout the night cause them to wake feeling exhausted and lethargic when awakening in the morning.
Common sleep issues for people with ADHD include difficulty staying asleep, restless or twitchy sleep patterns and frequent awakening during the night. They may also suffer from sleep apnea which interrupts REM sleep leading to lack of restful restful restful restful restful restful restful restful restful restful rest and increased feelings of tiredness.
When it comes to managing sleep problems, people with ADHD must try their best to minimize interaction with things that interfere with it, such as caffeine and stimulant medications. Routines can also help them gain more control of their day by knowing what’s coming next and being prepared.
If someone with ADHD is experiencing difficulties sleeping that do not respond to these changes, they should discuss it with their physician. He or she may make adjustments to medications or recommend they see a sleep specialist for more in-depth questions and an overnight test to monitor real-time patterns of restful slumber. This information helps identify what factors prevent an individual from sleeping enough so they can function optimally.
What are the risks of not getting enough sleep?
Many individuals living with ADHD struggle to get adequate restful restful sleep. Their difficulty may be caused by ADHD medications’ stimulant effects which help them focus during the day, yet make their minds race when sleeping at night. People living with ADHD also often find difficulty falling asleep as their brains and bodies cannot fully relax at once or they awake frequently throughout the night, contributing to further insomnia or poor quality restful slumber.
Sleep is essential to overall physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing. Benefits of adequate rest may include improved concentration and memory; reduced mental and physical stress; as well as less mental fatigue. Unfortunately, not getting enough rest poses some serious risks, including difficulty with focus and attention, mood swings, weight gain depression high blood pressure heart disease.
Sleep improvement strategies vary, from following a regular schedule and cutting back on caffeine consumption, to limiting stimulants like video games, television, and social media prior to bedtime. People living with ADHD should also try exercising regularly as this can improve sleeping patterns while simultaneously decreasing hyperactivity.
Sleep deprivation poses another threat: it can impede an individual’s ability to learn and make decisions, leading to subpar performance at school, work, and other activities. Furthermore, inadequate rest can contribute to feelings of irritability, decreased energy levels, and difficulty maintaining healthy relationships.
Individuals suffering from ADHD who are having difficulty sleeping may be tempted to self-medicate by imbibing alcohol – however this will only exacerbate their sleeping issues as alcohol acts as a depressant and may prevent people from sleeping properly.
People living with ADHD should consult their physician about any sleep difficulties they’re having. Their doctor can develop a routine designed to promote restful slumber while decreasing hyperactivity and impulsivity, or recommend natural or prescription sleep aids as necessary. Finding a routine that works is key; once someone establishes one for going to bed and rising up each night, it must remain consistent in order for things to work effectively.