Tips for Establishing Bedtime Routines

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

Last Update: July 3rd, 2025 | Estimated Read Time: 8 min

For individuals living with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), quality sleep can be elusive. While restorative sleep plays a critical role in focus, mood regulation, and overall health, many people with ADHD struggle to fall and stay asleep. The experience can feel akin to attempting to stop a speeding train, mental activity remains high, physical restlessness lingers, and before long, the clock reads well past midnight.

One of the most effective strategies for improving sleep in those with ADHD is the establishment of a consistent bedtime routine. This article examines the unique challenges individuals with ADHD face regarding sleep, highlights the importance of structured routines, and offers practical, evidence-informed strategies for creating calming bedtime habits.

Understanding Sleep Difficulties in ADHD

ADHD is commonly associated with disturbances in the body’s circadian rhythms. Individuals with ADHD are more likely to experience delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS), increased nighttime cortisol levels, and difficulty disengaging from cognitive and physical stimulation. These biological and behavioural patterns result in irregular sleep-wake cycles and prolonged sleep onset latency.

Executive functioning deficits also complicate bedtime behaviours. Planning, task initiation, and adherence to a consistent schedule can be particularly difficult for those with ADHD, often leading to erratic bedtimes and insufficient sleep. A meta-analysis by Cusick et al. (2018) found that adolescents with ADHD who demonstrated inconsistent sleep routines experienced greater daytime fatigue, emotional dysregulation, and impaired academic functioning.

These findings underscore the importance of sleep interventions that are grounded in behavioural structure and predictability.

Why Bedtime Routines Matter

Humans thrive on routine, and this is especially true for neurodivergent individuals. Structured routines can reduce cognitive load, lower bedtime resistance, and act as environmental cues signalling the transition to rest. For people with ADHD, a consistent and predictable series of activities before bed can enhance sleep quality by promoting relaxation and minimizing unstructured, stimulating behaviours in the evening.

Sleep routines operate as a form of stimulus control, linking specific pre-sleep activities with the physiological and psychological cues that prepare the body and mind for sleep. Over time, these associations reinforce more regular sleep-wake cycles, particularly when routines are repeated consistently.

Evidence-Based Strategies for Establishing Bedtime Routines

Developing an effective bedtime routine does not require complexity. In fact, a simplified and repeatable set of calming actions is often more sustainable and effective. Below are six strategies rooted in psychological and sleep science principles.

1. Implement a Pre-Bedtime Alarm

Setting an alarm approximately 60 to 90 minutes before desired sleep time serves as a visual and auditory cue to begin winding down. This tool helps compensate for time blindness, a common challenge among individuals with ADHD, by introducing an external prompt for routine initiation.

The purpose is not to induce sleep immediately but to signal a shift in activity type and arousal level, encouraging the transition from stimulation to rest.

2. Simplify the Routine to Three Steps

An overcomplicated routine is likely to be abandoned. Instead, select three consistent, calming activities that are easy to implement. For example:

• Taking a warm shower or bath
  
  
• Dimming lights and engaging in quiet, non-stimulating activity (e.g., light reading)
  
  
• Listening to soothing instrumental music or ambient sounds

This approach aligns with cognitive load theory, which posits that reducing the number of simultaneous demands facilitates task adherence (Sweller, 1994). Simplicity enhances routine sustainability, particularly during periods of fatigue or emotional dysregulation.

3. Regulate Exposure to Light

Light exposure plays a central role in circadian rhythm regulation. Blue light emitted from phones, tablets, and computer screens has been shown to suppress melatonin secretion, thereby delaying sleep onset. Reducing screen time in the hour prior to bed, using blue light filters, and switching to warm-toned lighting can support melatonin production and signal to the body that it is time to sleep.

Adolescents with ADHD who reduced screen-based exposure before bed demonstrated significantly shorter sleep onset latency and improved sleep quality. Light management is thus a foundational component of ADHD-informed sleep hygiene.

4. Introduce a Cognitive “Offload” Ritual

Mental hyperactivity is a frequently cited barrier to sleep among individuals with ADHD. Cognitive offloading, through journaling, voice memos, or list-making, can help externalize racing thoughts and reduce rumination. This technique supports emotional regulation and pre-sleep deactivation.

Research by Lieberman et al. (2007) found that affect labelling, or putting feelings into words, reduced amygdala activation and lowered emotional intensity. Engaging in reflective writing or thought-recording prior to bed may produce similar calming effects, enhancing the transition into sleep.

When to Seek Professional Support

If persistent sleep disturbances impair daily functioning or cause distress, clinical support may be warranted. Behavioural sleep therapy, ADHD coaching, and, in some cases, pharmacological interventions can offer additional structure and symptom relief. Co-occurring conditions such as anxiety disorders, restless leg syndrome, or insomnia should also be assessed and addressed where appropriate.

Consulting with a healthcare professional ensures that treatment is tailored to individual needs and circumstances.

Conclusion: Building Rest Through Routine

Improving sleep in individuals with ADHD involves more than simply going to bed earlier. It requires the intentional design of consistent, calming, and manageable routines that align with the brain’s needs. By implementing structured strategies, such as pre-bedtime alarms, simplified routines, light regulation, and cognitive offloading, individuals with ADHD can experience more restorative and predictable sleep.

The process does not demand perfection. Rather, it involves building self-awareness, practicing patience, and celebrating small improvements over time. Sleep is not merely a physiological necessity; for those with ADHD, it is a critical pillar of health, resilience, and emotional well-being.

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

Cusick, C. N., Isaacson, P. A., Langberg, J. M., & Becker, S. P. (2018). Last night's sleep in relation to academic achievement and neurocognitive testing performance in adolescents with and without ADHD. Sleep medicine, 52, 75–79. Link

Lieberman, M. D., et al. (2007). Putting feelings into words: Affect labelling disrupts amygdala activity in response to affective stimuli. Psychological Science, 18(5), 421–428. Link

Sweller, J. (1994). Cognitive load theory, learning difficulty, and instructional design. Learning and Instruction, 4(4), 295–312. Link