Sleep better with ADHD
We can manage the flood of thoughts that invade our brain every night
Have you ever gone to sleep and felt like your brain just won't switch off in any way?
Rest isn't just about sleeping; it's a process that allows the body to fully recover, both mentally and physically. We need to understand the importance of rest and how it can lead to improved performance in various aspects of life.
For people with ADHD, resting is often super challenging. We're not short of problems when it's time to sleep, and the list seems endless: hyperactivity, racing thoughts, difficulty switching off, sensory sensitivities, time blindness, executive functioning challenges, coexisting conditions, and stress.
To make things worse, when we're alone, surrounded by fewer possible distractions, it's the time when our brain starts to dominate everything as if it would like to fill every silent place of our minds with a flood of random thoughts that sometimes suffocates any attempt to sleep. Other times, the thoughts do interconnect among them and produce interesting insights, which are occasionally really creative, but being the right thing in the wrong time doesn't absolve them: we should rest in the period of the day designated for sleep.
I call it a ‘thought flood’ because that's exactly how I feel. It drowns my sleep, it takes me away with the force of the current, it makes me sick for the entire next day when I don't sleep or have insufficient sleep, just as we are likely to get sick when exposed to the dirty waters of a flood.
Everything said are factors that make it hard for us to relax and unwind, leading to sleep disturbances and even cognitive fatigue. I would love to have a quick solution to share so we could address it. We want quick solutions for everything these days, but as with everything with ADHD, there's nothing easy to follow, no ready recipe or advice.
And like everything related to ADHD, no solution will provide a complete outcome, only partial gains. Sometimes close to imperceptible, but taken as a whole, it could be the construction of an alternative.
We can divide our strategy for better sleep into six elements of approach:
Behavioral Strategies:
- Establishing a consistent sleep schedule: Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day will regulate the body's internal clock, improving sleep quality.
- Creating a relaxing bedtime routine: Engaging in calming activities before bed, such as reading, listening to soothing music, or practicing relaxation techniques like deep breathing or meditation, can signal to the body that it's time to wind down.
- Limiting screen time before bed: The blue light from screens can disrupt the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Avoiding screens at least an hour before bedtime is very likely to promote better sleep.
Environmental Modifications:
- Creating a sleep-conducive environment: Making the bedroom comfortable, quiet, and dark. Using blackout curtains, white noise machines, or earplugs will minimize disruptions from external stimuli.
- Managing sensory sensitivities: Experimenting with different bedding materials, room temperatures, and lighting options can help individuals with ADHD create a sleep environment that accommodates their sensory needs.
Therapeutic Interventions:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I): CBT-I is a structured, evidence-based therapy that helps to address the underlying causes of sleep disturbances and develop healthier sleep habits.
- Mindfulness-based interventions: Practices such as mindfulness meditation or yoga very often help ADHDers to cultivate awareness, reduce stress, and improve sleep quality.
Medical Advice:
- A healthcare professional will analyze if your need extra help to deal with your sleep issues: people with ADHD may experience significant sleep disturbances or coexisting conditions such as anxiety or depression, so medication management may be necessary. Healthcare providers can prescribe meds to address specific sleep-related symptoms, but note that this solution will not address the cause of your problem, only the effect (that's why we advocate for all these suggestions).
Lifestyle Modifications:
- Adopt a routine of regular exercise: No matter how many minutes a day or week: at the early stage, any routine you build will help you to increase the frequency until you reach a schedule that will produce visible results. Regular physical activity will promote better sleep because it reduces stress, anxiety, and hyperactivity. However, it's essential to avoid vigorous exercise close to bedtime, as it can interfere with the sleep cycle.
- Eat healthier: A balanced diet rich in nutrients and avoiding stimulants such as caffeine or sugary foods close to bedtime can support better sleep quality. It is very personal since ADHDers don't have a clear pattern when it refers to the response to caffeine; my personal case is to avoid caffeine 5 hours prior to the time I plan to sleep.
Stress Management Techniques:
- Stress reduction strategies: this could be considered a little controversial, but we can point out resources that are worth trying: relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation or guided imagery, can help some people with managing stress levels from ADHD and contribute to relaxation before bedtime.
- Time management techniques: Using tools such as planners, calendars, or digital reminders always help ADHDers to better manage their time, having a good effect when we need to rest because we tend to be more relieved when we could see something organized in the schedule of the day that are coming to an end, and in the day that will start in some hours. It helps to alleviate the anxiety."
Please understand that applying one or another item alone may not produce the results you are expecting. They are intended to work together and have a comprehensive and gradual effect that sometimes can only be felt after a few months. But it can also happen that a single adjustment you make can make an enormous difference from the start. There’s no general rule here.
Everything above is a suggestion that will never bring you harm because it is related to established practices for improving sleep hygiene and overall well-being. They are rooted in evidence-based techniques and tailored to address the specific challenges faced by those who carry ADHD in their brains.