In today’s busy world, it’s not uncommon for people to get by on little sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, school-age children require 9 to 11 hours of sleep, teenagers 8 to 10 hours and adults 7 to 9 hours. Yet the organization notes that “one in three American adults don’t get sufficient sleep on a regular basis,” due to a variety of factors including poor sleep habits, job-related sleep restrictions or spending too much time with electronics. Unfortunately, not getting enough shut-eye on a regular basis can have detrimental physical and mental health consequences, including high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and depression.
So what does this mean for the person with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder? Is there a correlation between lack of sleep and ADHD?
[See: 8 Things You Didn’t Know About Counseling.]
Dr. Vatsal G. Thakkar, a psychiatrist practicing in Westport, Connecticut, and a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mood and anxiety disorders, ADHD and sleep disorders, says that sleep deprivation can create additional challenges for individuals with ADHD. He notes that experts who are well versed in either ADHD or sleep are likely to agree that “the two are inextricably linked,” which he too says could be likely.
He explains that people with ADHD, a neurodevelopmental disorder, have less tolerance for sleep deprivation. “Sleep can help flush out toxins in interstitial space brain cells,” he says. “In other words, proper deep sleep performs a reboot for brain cells.” Not getting enough sleep can interfere neurologically, a sort of a double whammy for a person with ADHD, since their brains have been found to differ from neurotypical ones.
At the same time, it’s a bit of a Catch-22. Sleep is essential for people with ADHD, yet their disorder often renders them unable to fall asleep easily or to stay that way once they eventually doze off.
People with ADHD “often report feelings as if there’s a hamster running on a wheel in their brain,” says Linda Walker, a professional certified ADHD coach, trainer and speaker based in Montreal who is the Attention Deficit Disorder Association’s Workplace Issues Committee chairperson. She notes that these people tend to re-live experiences, often playing certain thoughts over repeatedly in their mind. “One idea heads into another more so than for someone without ADHD,” she says of the sleep deprivation-ADHD association, “and this can make it challenging for them to fall asleep.”
To compound the issue, Walker explains that focus — a common challenge for those with the disorder — is affected by lack of sleep. “Not sleeping well enough can aggravate challenges with focus, which can affect productivity,” she says. A cycle may then develop: Diminished productivity from not getting sufficient sleep in the first place may mean working longer hours, which can prohibit getting adequate amounts of sleep.
In short, Walker says people with ADHD tend to have sleep problems due to the mind-racing thoughts inherent in their disorder. But coupled with today’s increased social and professional demands, it can add to disruptions and increase frustration levels. “Their lifestyle in general is more chaotic,” she says, explaining their tendency to work later into the evening or do things at the last minute.
What, then, can people with ADHD do to try to get more sleep?
Walker says many of the things that help neurotypical people are also helpful for those with ADHD. She explains, for example, that exercise helps a person fall asleep. Physical activity rids stress and “gets hyperactivity out of you,” she says. However, once again she points to a concerning cycle: If you’re working hard and putting in later hours, it may be difficult to get to the gym. Not getting proper amounts of exercise complicates the situation, potentially setting forth this ongoing cycle of events. “Start to put in place good sleep hygiene,” Walker suggests.
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For Walker, taking a break from electronics is where good sleep begins. “Stop using the computer later in the evening,” she says. The blue light, even if it’s dimmed, can disrupt the ability to fall and stay asleep, so she says it’s important to have downtime at the end of the day that excludes such devices. “Avoid the computer, video games and even TV about 1 ½ to 2 hours before bedtime,” she says.
Additionally, these electronics can be overly stimulating, which can create sleep issues. She says that video games, for example, stimulate cortisol, the stress hormone. This in turn disrupts sleep-producing melatonin, a hormone made in the brain, making it harder to fall asleep.
[See: 10 Concerns Parents Have About Their Kids’ Health.]
Create Wind-Down Rituals
Not only is it important to limit exposure to electronics, but it’s good to establish a set time to fall asleep every night to keep the body’s sleep cycle in check. Walker says that this, along with dimming lights throughout the house beginning around suppertime, allows the body and mind to enter an end-of-day relaxation mode.
Journaling is another way to enter a more relaxed state. Walker says the activity is a kind of “brain dump” that allows a person to jot down whatever is on their mind. She suggests ending with five things that went well in the day, and if mood issues are a concern, listing five things to be grateful for, as well.
Playing relaxing music, listening to guided relaxation audio like white noise or ocean waves and reading may also help. If reading, though, be sure to turn to material that’s not overly stimulating because, as Walker says, the “mind will get filled with too many ideas” and impede the ability to fall asleep.
Be Mindful of Medication
ADHD medication may also play a role in the inability to fall asleep or to sleep well. Children and adolescents with the disorder may be especially prone to such disruptions; a 2015 study published in Pediatrics concluded that “stimulant medication led to longer sleep latency, worse sleep efficiency and shorter sleep duration.”
Therefore, having an awareness about ADHD medications is essential. Walker explains that some ADHD prescriptions are longer lasting, so taking them upon waking may be beneficial. Doing so means any sleep-disrupting side effects will have run their course throughout the day, potentially paving the way for a restful night ahead.
Could It Be Sleep Deprivation and Not ADHD?
Vatsal encourages people to not necessarily accept an ADHD diagnosis and call it a day. Other reasons for feeling less focused or sleepy could involve autoimmune issues or thyroid problems; he says he tries to remain vigilant in looking at the entire picture and not ruling out other possible diagnoses, including a sleep disorder. He speaks from experience as someone who, as a young adult, was misdiagnosed with several conditions including ADHD. As it turns out, he was ultimately diagnosed with an atypical type of narcolepsy, an experience he says reinforces the importance of thoroughly assessing other possibilities to ensure a proper diagnosis and subsequent treatment plan.
[See: Hoarding, ADHD, Narcissism: Inside the Minds of History’s Great Personalities.]
Additionally, Vatsal says that sleep deprivation may mimic ADHD, which could explain overlapping feelings and behaviors. For example, the National Institutes of Health says that “sleep deficiency can interfere with work, school, driving and social functioning. You might have trouble learning, focusing, and reacting” — statements which are all familiar territory for people with ADHD. The organization also notes that “children who are sleep deficient might be overly active and have problems paying attention. They also might misbehave, and their school performance can suffer.”
Arianna Huffington, founder of HuffPost, as well as founder and CEO of Thrive Global and a sleep advocate, says it’s important not to give sleep the brush-off. “Getting proper sleep is beneficial no matter what the particulars of your heath are,” she says in a statement provided by a spokesperson. “Sleep is vital to both our overall cognitive health and, given its role in maintaining a healthy immune system, to our physical health as well.”
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The Link Between Sleep Deprivation and ADHD originally appeared on usnews.com
