ADHD and Sleep Medication
People suffering from ADHD are unable to sleep. They are restless when they finally do get to sleep, and many awake frequently throughout the night.
Actigraphy and polysomnography, both of which are objective measures which show that children suffering from ADHD suffer from a longer sleep time and lower levels of sleep efficiency than their control counterparts. However, objective measures of sleep improve by methylphenidate (MPH) treatment.
1. Restlessness medication to calm nerves
Being diagnosed with ADHD can make it difficult to sleep and get a good night's sleep. Many people who suffer from ADHD have restless nights because they struggle to stop the wakefulness that keeps them awake when they're asleep. This can result in a poor quality of sleep, and an inability wake up fully. This makes it difficult to concentrate and have a bad day. The combination of ADHD and sleep issues may also increase the likelihood of suffering from anxiety, depression and other mood disorders.
ADHD medications can cause sleep disturbances but they can also help improve their symptoms. Certain pain medications and signs of depression or anxiety can contribute to difficulty sleeping or staying asleep. People with depression or ADHD may have trouble sleeping if they're taking antidepressants like mirtazapine, nefazodone, or the trazodone.
Sleep problems are common among those with ADHD. They may have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, and waking up in the middle of the night. These symptoms can be caused by a number of things, such as medication, caffeine or alcohol. People who aren't sleeping are likely to have a lower quality of life, and are more prone to obesity, heart disease and other physical health problems.
Sleep issues can be caused by medications that treat hyperactivity in ADHD, especially in children. However the sedative effects from these drugs may actually aid in promoting sleep in young children suffering from ADHD. In adults, a low dose of clonidine --- 0.05 to 0.1 mg -- has been found to induce sedative effects that can help with insomnia. It is recommended to take it in the evening one hour before going to sleep.
Some ADHD patients are prescribed lisdexamfetamine (LDX) which is a long-acting oral stimulant, for insomnia. Both have durations of efficacy of up to 12 hours and are recommended for this group of patients at doses of 1 to 4 mg daily. The careful subtyping of insomnia is recommended. the structure of sleep should be evaluated using objective measures (polysomnography or actigraphy) and selfor parent-rated questionnaires as well as diary entries.
2. Sleeping pills to aid in your sleep
People with ADHD frequently have difficulty falling asleep at late at night. They might be in bed for hours or toss and turn or wake up with every sound or interruption. This can cause sleep deprivation that increases ADHD symptoms and reduces mood. Studies have shown that between 10 and 15% of children who suffer from ADHD have trouble falling asleep prior to puberty. There are medications that help adults to fall asleep.
Incredibly, many of the stimulant medications prescribed for ADHD can also help with sleep problems. In one study, children who suffered from sleep problems before ADHD reported better sleep after taking methylphenidate. It is important to discuss your sleep issues with your doctor prior to attempting a medication for insomnia, though. You might have an underlying condition that is co-existing such as sleep apnea or depression. These conditions can trigger similar symptoms as ADHD.
You can also practice good sleep hygiene, in addition to a medical examination. Try to fall asleep at the same time each night, stay away from alcohol, nicotine and caffeine Exercise regularly, and practice meditation or mindfulness techniques. Sleep problems can be alleviated by deep breathing exercises and progressive relaxation of muscles (where you tense your muscles, then relax them one at a time).
For adult patients with insomnia who are unable improve with self-care, a psychiatrist can prescribe an antidepressant like the benzodiazepine trazadone or temazepam. These antidepressants have been shown to help with insomnia and are less likely to interact with other sleep medications than stimulant medications.
The medications that can help you sleep include melatonin agonist, such as ramelteon, which is effective for both primary and insomnia that is comorbid in adults with ADHD. It also works for refractory insomnia in adults with ADHD who do not respond to other treatments like treatment with behavioral therapy or antidepressants.
Additionally it is safe for use during pregnancy. If your doctor suggests this treatment for you, they will check your blood levels to make sure there are no side negative effects. If they are, then your doctor will reduce the dosage to a level that's safe for you to consume while breastfeeding or pregnant.
3. Medications to Help You Wake Up
When people with ADHD awake, their racing brains often hinder their ability to return to sleep. Inability to fall asleep can make people feel tired and slow throughout the day. It can also affect the ability to learn, pay attention and concentrate.
The positive side is that many stimulant drugs prescribed to treat the symptoms of ADHD can aid people suffering from sleep issues as well. One study found that people who suffer from ADHD and sleep disorders that were preexisting had fewer sleep disturbances when they began taking a lower dose methylphenidate.
Several types of stimulants are used to treat ADHD, including both fast-acting and extended-release medications. These drugs are typically taken in the morning and last between six and eight hours. They can reduce the number of "ups and downs" that people encounter during the day, which can enhance school and work performance and avoid needing to take more medication later in the day or the night.
Many people with ADHD also take melatonin to aid them in sleeping at night. Studies have shown that melatonin can aid in sleeping better however, it's important to remember to take it at the proper time, usually about an hour prior to the time of bed. If it's not done, it's unlikely to be effective.
Another option is to look into the benzodiazepines, which are powerful depressants that can be extremely effective in helping people with ADHD to fall asleep and stay asleep at night. This type of medication is addictive and should be used only when absolutely necessary.
There is still the need for more research on how to best tackle sleep issues in people with ADHD. It is imperative to conduct large-scale cohort studies to determine the prevalence of sleep disorders and prescriptions for those suffering from ADHD in both childhood and later in life. It is important to distinguish between the presence or absence of ADHD-related symptoms sleep and a diagnosis of an individual sleeping disorder.
People who don't have ADHD have sleep issues too, and they may want to self-medicate by drinking alcohol in the evening. This can make sleeping more difficult, since alcohol is a depressant that disrupts normal sleep.
4. Medicines to Help You Stay Alert
Many of the stimulant drugs used to treat ADHD also can improve alertness. This is due to the way that these drugs alter the chemical balance in your brain.
This does not mean that people suffering from ADHD do not suffer from sleep issues. In fact, many people who suffer from ADHD have reported having trouble with sleeping. In my own practice, I've seen more than 80 percent adults experience sleep disturbances. They can be up for hours at night, with their minds spinning around and their bodies tossing. Sometimes, they wake up several times before falling to sleep. After waking, they feel exhausted and depleted from this insomnia.
In some cases sleep disorders can be an obvious manifestation of the nocturnal and hyperactivity that is that are associated with ADHD. In other instances sleep disorders are triggered by a lack of sleep and the inability to control the arousal associated with daily functioning. It's been demonstrated that treating sleep disorders can improve both insomnia and ADHD symptoms.
Certain stimulant medications can affect sleep for those with ADHD. However, they can also improve sleep disorders and insomnia by alleviating symptoms which interfere with falling asleep (Spruyt & Gozal 2011). In addition, certain long-acting ADHD medications do not have a sufficient duration of effects which can lead to an increase of behavioral and hyperactivity at night as drug concentrations decrease (Cortese, et al. 2013a, b; Lecendreux and Cortese 2007).
Ask adhd treatment medication if a study of your sleep can be done to identify other causes of your trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Your doctor can prescribe a medication to treat both the ADHD and sleep disorder.
In the meantime, try to lower the dose of your stimulant medication before going to bed by taking it in the morning instead of the afternoon, or by using smaller doses or a other stimulants. This will keep you awake throughout the day and assist you fall asleep easier at the end of the night. Be sure to adhere to the prescribed dosage so that you don't experience any negative side effects.