Sleep Tips For ADHD (From A Certified Psychiatrist/Sleep Doctor)
Scroll to the bottom for the article summarization or keep reading for the more in depth understanding…
I don’t know about you, but even as a totally driven go-getter, my sleep schedule has definitely played the role of a Disney villain.
No matter how hard you try to get your life together, no matter how much you work on your goals, your messed up sleep schedule will come in, slap you on the face, and whisper in your ear, “none of anything you do matters now muhahaha”.
So to kick this villainous irrational sleep schedule in the butt, I connected with an actual sleep doctor with a power level over 9000, (if you don’t know the reference, just know it’s a lot), and asked her what those of us with ADHD can do to defeat this unseen evil.
So without further or do, here is what sleep doctor/psychiatrist, Nishi Bhopal had to say:
1/5: Check for underlying causes of sleep issues
3 common sleep disorders associated with ADHD are:
i. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) - where the airway collapses during sleep, causing breathing to start and stop. Symptoms include problems with concentration during the day.
ii. Restless leg syndrome (RLS) - Symptoms include feeling restless at bedtime, often caused by low iron levels.
iii. Circadian rhythm disorders - occur when the body clock is not aligned with nighttime hours.
2/5: Don’t stay in bed for more than 20 minutes if you’re not sleeping
Doing so will train your brain to stay awake in bed. Instead, get out of bed, go to a comfy spot and do something quietly like listening to a guided meditation.
3/5: Make sleep a priority and schedule it on your calendar if you need to
Sleep deprivation is associated with concentration problems and poor cognitive performance. Getting enough sleep on a regular basis is important for people with ADHD to improve attention, focus, and reduce impulsivity.
4/5: Eat good quality food
Processed foods are bad for the brain and bad for sleep. Include more fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats in the diet, and keep candy, fried foods, and sweet treats to a minimum.
5/5: Give yourself at least an hour to wind down before bed
This can include taking a shower, brushing teeth, putting on pajamas, reading, and settling the mind and body in preparation for a restful slumber.
Check out the psychiatrist/sleep doctor, Nishi Bhopal MD who was kind enough to share these tips with me on her site at Intrabalance.com. You can download her sleep tips in a FREE pdf that also includes more ADHD tools and tactics on my site at MasterADHDnow.com.
If you’re struggling to handle your ADHD or just procrastination, organization, focus or time management and your curious about what ADHD coaching would look like, message me and snag a FREE no obligation, 20 minute consultation here.
If you’d like a device that helps you sleep, check out product #7 in my article The Top 7 Best Affordable ADHD Focus and Motivation Tools.
↓ The article summarized for my fellow ADHDers ↓
Basically a sleep doctor/psychiatrist gave me these tips:
Check for underlying causes of sleep issues. 3 common sleep disorders associated with ADHD are:
i. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) - where the airway collapses during sleep, causing breathing to start and stop. Symptoms include problems with concentration during the day.
ii. Restless leg syndrome (RLS) - Symptoms include feeling restless at bedtime, often caused by low iron levels.
iii. Circadian rhythm disorders - occur when the body clock is not aligned with nighttime hours
Don’t stay in bed for more than 20 minutes if you’re not sleeping. Doing so will train your brain to stay awake in bed. Instead, get out of bed, go to a comfy spot and do something quietly like listening to a guided meditation.
Make sleep a priority and schedule it on your calendar if you need to. Sleep deprivation is associated with concentration problems and poor cognitive performance. Getting enough sleep on a regular basis is important for people with ADHD to improve attention, focus, and reduce impulsivity.
Eat good quality food. Processed foods are bad for the brain and bad for sleep. Include more fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats in the diet, and keep candy, fried foods, and sweet treats to a minimum.
Give yourself at least an hour to wind down before bed. This can include taking a shower, brushing teeth, putting on pyjamas, reading, and settling the mind and body in preparation for a restful slumber.
The sleep doctors info —> Nishi Bhopal MD & Intrabalance.com.
Download her sleep tips and my ADHD tips here free —> MasterADHDnow.com.
Snag a FREE no obligation, 15 minute virtual coffee here.
If you’d like a device that helps you sleep, check out product #7 in my article The Top 7 Best Affordable ADHD Focus and Motivation Tools.
Written by Nishi Bhopal and Nic McLaughlin.
