Sleep problems is one of the biggest complaints among adults with ADHD. Some of most common reasons why you may have difficulty getting a good night’s rest when you have Adult ADHD is not being unable to slow down your ADHD brain, being troubled by what happened during the day and tasks that you didn’t finish, and hyper focusing late in the evening which results in loosing track of your time and going to bed later than you would normally. If you have difficulty getting a good night’s sleep, here are a few strategies specifically for adults with ADHD
Relax – Being in a bad mood when you are getting ready for bed can interfere with your plans for getting a good nights’ sleep. You will be so focused on the negative energy that you won’t be able to relax. Going to bed angry could also affect your quality of sleep leading to restless slumber that would leave you feeling more tired in the morning. If you find yourself going to sleep in a bad mood or trouble relaxing, it might be an idea to try some relaxation techniques. For instance, try deep breathing, this simple exercise can help you calm both your mind and put your body into a state of relaxation. Being relaxed is a good way to guarantee that you get an uninterrupted and sound sleep.
Keep a Regular Wake Up Time and Don’t Nap for Too Long – It is crucial that you that you are waking up every day at the same time. While it is ok to sleep in on the weekends, it is important that your sleep habits are uninterrupted. Scheduling a good time to wake up means that over time you will be getting better sleep. Another way to inadvertently disrupt your sleep patterns is by napping for too long. Getting to much sleep during a nap may lead you to having more energy to sleep at night. Try to keep naps limited to 15 minutes in length in order to allow you enough energy to continue on with your day.
Get Physical -Adults with ADHD have loads of energy and it helps to use it up. One of the best ways to do this and to make certain to get sleep at night is to exercise. You do not have to go out and run a marathon for this; instead a nice long walk can be just enough physical activity to have your mind and body ready for sleep. Try to schedule your physical activity into your morning or afternoon routines to make sure that you will be ready to go to sleep when bedtime comes around.
Cut Back On Caffeine – Caffeine is conceivably the most obvious culprit when it comes to sleeping issues. When you consumer a caffeinated beverage before you go to bed, you may have unpleasant effects when it comes time to lay down. Caffeine can make you feel restless and can keep your mind alert even when it needs to rest so try to avoid drinking coffee, soda, or chocolate in the evenings or late at night.