![]() This is a complex decision, but our experience has been that, even when ADHD symptoms are improved by stimulants, ADHD-related insomnia will limit the effectiveness of treatment unless it too is addressed. ![]() In such cases, the prescriber may consider sleep medication as an adjunct. More often, the insomnia remains but doesn’t worsen on stimulants, just as it has for my kids. Sleeping problems sometimes improve by treating the ADHD. How Can You Treat ADHD-Related Sleep Problems? That generally proves the diagnosis, but it also suggests it’s time to try a different stimulant or to pursue a sleep study. A few will have daytime sleepiness despite taking them. ![]() Some teens will sleep better after beginning stimulants. Which comes first: the chicken or the egg? The best solution the prescriber at our clinic has found is to begin treatment with stimulant medication, and follow the case closely for a month. It’s hard to know if this condition describes your child because you can’t easily separate this kind of insomnia from the one previously described. Both of my children have what I call “ADHD-related insomnia.” I made up this name for it because I saw it so often among my clients, whose active minds didn’t shut down just because it was 10:30 p.m. This condition is common but under-recognized. Poor sleep can result from ADHD, complicating diagnosis. Nevertheless, I believe that severe sleep deprivation can present with ADHD-like symptoms, but most of such cases should be screened out from an ADHD diagnosis with an evaluation. But those teens also wound up being treated at our clinic for ADHD. Some were found to have sleep apnea, narcolepsy, or primary insomnia, and treatment improved sleep and reduced symptoms. In my experience, insomnia-induced ADHD isn’t common, but I have referred two dozen teens and young adults for sleep studies to avoid misdiagnosing them. This is why you should start your teen’s diagnostic journey at the door of a qualified professional, and why you should study your child’s sleep patterns to answer the provider’s questions. That’s an overreach, but their findings did support the idea that quality of sleep must be considered in making an ADHD diagnosis. A few years ago, some researchers joined the “ADHD Is a Myth” crowd and declared all people with ADHD to be victims of chronic insomnia. ![]() Poor sleep can lead to ADHD-like symptoms and complicate a diagnosis. With attention deficit disorder ( ADHD or ADD), that link is obvious and complicated, because there are several ways sleep and ADHD affect each other. In extreme cases, it can be the cause of the problem. Poor or insufficient sleep makes almost every psychological problem worse. Chronic insomnia raises your risk of high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.How Does Sleep Impact ADHD - and Vice Versa?įew things impact mental health more than sleep. Insomnia can affect your memory and concentration. Your provider may also recommend healthy lifestyle habits such as a regular sleep schedule, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, and medicines to help you manage your insomnia. To diagnose insomnia, your healthcare provider may ask about your sleep habits and ask you to keep a sleep diary. Chronic (long-term) insomnia occurs 3 or more nights a week, lasts more than 3 months, and cannot be fully explained by another health problem. Short-term insomnia may be caused by stress or changes in your schedule or environment. Insomnia can get in the way of your daily activities and may make you feel sleepy during the day. This happens even if you have the time and the right environment to sleep well. With insomnia, you may have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting good quality sleep.
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