ADHD and Sleep Struggles

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If you struggle to turn your brain off at night, you’re not alone. Many people with ADHD find that falling and staying asleep are really tough and feel unrested much of the time. But sleep is a key time for your brain to integrate information from the day and process what's important and what you don't need to recall. The good news? With the right strategies, you can wake up feeling refreshed and recharged, even when your mind refuses to quiet down.

An estimated 25-50% of people with ADHD experience sleep difficulties at some point in their lives. Why? Biology and behavioral patterns play a big role. ADHD affects the brain’s ability to regulate attention, impulse control, and executive functioning. Unfortunately, these same areas play a big role in sleep regulation. Racing thoughts, nighttime energy surges, and an irregular internal clock make falling asleep—and staying asleep—much harder. It’s common to struggle with maintaining a consistent sleep schedule or frequently waking up during the night. Those with ADHD and anxiety are also more prone to sleep disorders like circadian rhythm disorder or delayed sleep phase disorder.

Let’s talk about practical ways to break the cycle of sleepless nights and exhausted mornings.

1. Create (and Stick to) a Sleep Schedule

With ADHD, sticking to a sleep schedule can feel impossible. But consistency is key! Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even when life gets busy. How can you do this? Start by setting multiple alarms as reminders to start winding down. Keep your sense of humor. Consider renaming your alarms with messages that make you smile such as “Bedtime, not a party time!” or "All mammals need sleep including YOU!" Lastly, if you naturally wake up at the same time each morning, adjust your bedtime to ensure enough sleep.

Why it works: Keeping your body on a regular sleep schedule helps regulate your internal clock, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up feeling rested.

2. Turn Your Bedroom into a Sleep Sanctuary

Your bedroom should be a calm retreat from all the noise and distractions of the day. All too often, the bedroom can be a dumping ground of dirty clothes, unread newspapers or magazines, discarded food wrappers, dirty dishes, etc. Decide to use your bedroom only for sleeping. Begin to pick up the clutter from the floor, from bureaus and from bookshelves and decide where you want this stuff to live. Then move it out of sight to its new home. If you become overwhelmed and need some help with this, ask a kind friend or relative to act as a body double on the phone or in person. They can keep you company and offer ideas too. At least 30 minutes before going to bed, use dim lighting and turn off all screens. If you are easily disturbed by sound, use earplugs or white noise machines. Many people with ADHD find that weighted blankets provide a soothing, grounding effect that helps them fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply. When it’s time to wake up, if you struggle to shift out of slumber, consider getting a sunrise alarm clock.

Why it works: A quiet, distraction-free space helps your ADHD brain switch gears from active mode to rest mode, making it easier to fall asleep.

3. Cut Back on Stimulation at Night

It’s tempting to rely on caffeine, sugar, or energy drinks to power through long days, but those late-night treats can sabotage your sleep. Swap coffee for herbal tea in the evening. Limit drinks and desserts with sugar as well as alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine consumption for a few hours before your desired bedtime. These not only can disturb the quality of your sleep but they can prevent you from becoming drowsy. The light from computers or other devices can also keep your brain active. If you can’t shut your tech down 30 minutes before bed, be sure to use blue light filters on your devices at night. If you take medications for ADHD or anything else, talk to your doctor about potential sleep disruptions.

Why it works: Stimulants keep your brain wired, making it even harder to wind down. Cutting back can help prevent that “why am I still awake?” frustration. If you need to check your phone, do it briefly and with the night-time filters on.

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4. Use Relaxation Techniques to Unwind

While stress and overstimulation can make sleep difficult, relaxation techniques can help slow down a racing mind. If anxious, racing thoughts keep you awake, try writing them down in a journal before bed. Doing a brain dump of these ideas gives you space to power down. Then, you can pick up, recall, and process whatever was on your mind the next day with greater clarity. This can help clear your mind and reduce anxiety. Guided meditations are beneficial for slowing you down into a settled state before sleep. There are many apps for this, so during your waking hours find a few and try them out. It may take a while to figure out which works best for you: progressive muscle relaxation, visualizations, or deep breathing exercises tend to be helpful.

Why it works: These techniques engage the parasympathetic nervous system, which signals to your body that it’s time to relax and recharge.

5. Take Breaks Before You Burn Out

Life can be overwhelming—socializing, working, managing responsibilities, and tackling endless to-do lists. If you don’t take breaks, stress and exhaustion will catch up with you. Short walks, listening to music or a podcast, doing yoga or short meditations throughout the day assist you in replenishing and sustaining energy. Your brain needs some time to process all of the things you are doing, and moving your body offers a break for integration. Physical activity during the day can help burn off excess energy, improve fitness, and bring on bodily fatigue at night. Plus, the endorphins improve mood and focus. Intense workouts before bed, though, can be stimulating, so keep these for daylight hours.

Why it works: Short mental breaks prevent burnout and help manage ADHD-related overstimulation. Plus, staying balanced throughout the day makes it easier to wind down at night.

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Sleepless nights with ADHD don’t have to be the norm. With thoughtful adjustments—like sticking to a routine, limiting stimulants, and creating a peaceful sleep environment—you can set yourself up for better rest. It may take some trial and error to find what works best for you, but even small changes can make a big difference. Prioritizing sleep isn’t just about feeling more rested—it can also help improve focus, mood, and overall well-being.