ADHD and Sleep: Common Issues and Solutions

Discover tips, treatment options, and support strategies from the Finding Focus Care Team

Last Update: September 22nd, 2025, Estimated Read Time: 7 min

Why Sleep Matters in ADHD

Sleep is essential for attention, emotional balance, and learning. For individuals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), however, restful sleep is often elusive. Research shows that up to 70% of children and adults with ADHD experience chronic sleep difficulties (Cortese et al., 2009). These challenges are not merely side effects of busy lives but are linked to the neurological underpinnings of ADHD itself.

Poor sleep worsens ADHD symptoms like inattention, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation, creating a cycle in which ADHD and sleep problems reinforce each other. Understanding why these difficulties occur, and learning evidence-based strategies to manage them, is critical to improving daily functioning and long-term wellbeing.

Common Sleep Problems in ADHD

1. Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome

Many individuals with ADHD have circadian rhythm differences, making it difficult to fall asleep at conventional times. This “night owl” tendency means they often struggle to wake up for school or work, leaving them chronically sleep-deprived (Van der Heijden et al., 2005).

2. Difficulty Settling at Night

Restlessness, racing thoughts, and hyperactivity make it challenging to wind down. Children may resist bedtime routines, while adults often spend hours scrolling devices or working late into the night.

3. Frequent Night Awakenings

Interrupted sleep is another concern, with many reporting waking up multiple times during the night. This disrupts restorative deep sleep and contributes to daytime fatigue.

4. Sleep Disorders

Conditions such as restless leg syndrome and sleep apnoea occur more frequently in those with ADHD (Yoon et al., 2012). These disorders further compound difficulties with attention and energy levels.

5. Impact of Medication

Stimulant medications, while highly effective for managing ADHD symptoms, can delay sleep onset if taken too late in the day. At the same time, untreated ADHD often worsens sleep problems, making medication timing a critical factor.

How Sleep Challenges Affect Daily Life

Poor sleep has wide-reaching consequences for individuals with ADHD:

• Academic performance: Sleep deprivation reduces focus, working memory, and test performance.
  
  
• Workplace functioning: Fatigue impairs productivity and increases the risk of mistakes.
  
  
• Emotional health: Lack of sleep heightens irritability, frustration, and emotional dysregulation.
  
  
• Physical health: Chronic sleep loss is linked to obesity, cardiovascular disease, and weakened immunity.

As Bijlenga et al. (2019) point out, treating sleep problems in ADHD is not optional, it is central to improving overall outcomes.

Why Sleep Problems Are Common in ADHD

The reasons for sleep difficulties in ADHD are complex and multi-layered:

• Neurological differences: ADHD brains show alterations in dopamine pathways, which influence both attention and sleep regulation.
  
  
• Hyperarousal: Many individuals experience “mental overdrive” at night, making it difficult to relax.
  
  
• Circadian rhythm shifts: Delayed melatonin release leads to later natural sleep times.
  
  
• Co-occurring conditions: Anxiety and depression, common in ADHD, worsen insomnia.

These biological factors mean that standard advice like “just go to bed earlier” rarely works without targeted strategies.

Evidence-Based Solutions

While sleep difficulties in ADHD are challenging, research points to effective solutions.

1. Consistent Sleep Routines

Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day helps reset circadian rhythms. Creating predictable wind-down rituals, such as reading or listening to calming music, signals to the brain that it is time to sleep.

2. Managing Screen Time

Blue light from phones and tablets delays melatonin production, making it harder to fall asleep. Setting device curfews at least one hour before bedtime can improve sleep onset.

3. Medication Timing and Adjustment

Adjusting the timing of stimulant medications, or considering long-acting versus short-acting formulations, can reduce their impact on sleep. Discussing options with a healthcare provider is important to find the right balance.

4. Addressing Co-occurring Sleep Disorders

Sleep apnoea, restless leg syndrome, and other conditions should be screened for and treated. Interventions may include CPAP therapy for apnoea or iron supplementation for restless leg syndrome.

5. Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)

CBT-I is an evidence-based approach that teaches strategies for breaking negative sleep patterns. Techniques include sleep restriction, stimulus control, and relaxation exercises. Research shows CBT-I is particularly effective for adults with ADHD (Hvolby, 2015).

6. Lifestyle Supports

Physical activity during the day improves sleep quality. Avoiding caffeine or heavy meals close to bedtime also supports more restful sleep.

Role of Parents, Educators, and Employers

Support from others is crucial in managing ADHD-related sleep problems:

• Parents: Implement structured bedtime routines and encourage calming pre-sleep activities.
  
  
• Teachers: Recognize that late arrivals or daytime sleepiness may reflect genuine sleep challenges.
  
  
• Employers: Offer flexibility where possible, such as later start times or remote work, to accommodate circadian rhythm differences.

Building Healthy Habits Early

Teaching children with ADHD to value sleep from a young age is vital. Sleep hygiene strategies learned in childhood provide a foundation for managing sleep challenges in adolescence and adulthood. Bijlenga et al. (2019) highlight that targeted sleep interventions in ADHD populations not only improve sleep but also reduce ADHD symptom severity.

Reframing Sleep as Self-Care

Many individuals with ADHD view sleep as an obstacle to productivity or creativity. Reframing it as an essential form of self-care, just as important as nutrition or exercise, can help shift attitudes. Sleep is not lost time but a critical investment in energy, focus, and long-term health.

Final Thoughts

ADHD and sleep are closely intertwined. From delayed sleep onset to restless nights, these challenges can intensify ADHD symptoms and strain daily functioning. But with consistent routines, evidence-based therapies, careful medication management, and supportive environments, restful sleep is possible.

Recognizing and addressing sleep as part of ADHD care is not optional, it is central to improving quality of life. By building healthy habits and seeking appropriate treatment, individuals with ADHD can break the cycle of sleepless nights and daytime struggles, fostering greater wellbeing and resilience.

Finding Focus Care Team

We are a group of nurse practitioners, continuous care specialists, creators, and writers, all committed to excellence in patient care and expertise in ADHD. We share content that illuminates aspects of ADHD and broader health care topics. Each article is medically verified and approved by the Finding Focus Care Team. You can contact us at Finding Focus Support if you have any questions!  

References

Bijlenga, D., Vollebregt, M. A., Kooij, J. J. S., & Arns, M. (2019). The role of the circadian system in the etiology and pathophysiology of ADHD: Time to redefine ADHD? European Psychiatry, 55, 25–32. Link

Cortese, S., Faraone, S. V., Konofal, E., & Lecendreux, M. (2009). Sleep in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Meta-analysis of subjective and objective studies. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 48(9), 894–908. Link

Hvolby, A. (2015). Associations of sleep disturbance with ADHD: Implications for treatment. Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders, 7(1), 1–18. Link

Van der Heijden, K. B., Smits, M. G., Van Someren, E. J. W., Ridderinkhof, K. R., & Gunning, W. B. (2005). Effect of melatonin on sleep, behaviour, and cognition in ADHD and chronic sleep-onset insomnia. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 44(2), 129–136. Link

Yoon, S. Y. R., Jain, U., & Shapiro, C. (2012). Sleep in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adults: Past, present, and future. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 16(4), 371–388. Link