ADHD and Sleep Medication
People with ADHD struggle to sleep. They are agitated when they finally get to sleep, and a lot wake up frequently throughout the night.
Actigraphy and polysomnography, which are objective measures, show that children with ADHD sleep later and have lower levels of sleep efficiency than their counterparts with normal ADHD. However the objective measures of sleep improve by methylphenidate (MPH) treatment.
1. Restlessness medication to calm the nerves
Having ADHD can make it difficult to sleep and get an adequate night's rest. Many people who suffer from ADHD have trouble sleeping and struggle to stop the alert state that keeps them active even when they're sleeping. This can lead a poor quality of sleep and a failure to wake up fully. This can make it difficult for them to concentrate and have a bad day. Combining ADHD with sleep problems can increase the risk for anxiety, depression and other mood disorders.
ADHD medications can cause insomnia, but they may even improve it. Depression or anxiety-related symptoms may contribute to difficulty falling or sleeping, as do certain medications used to treat pain. People with depression or ADHD may have difficulty sleeping if they are taking antidepressants like nefazodone, mirtazapine, or the trazodone.
Sleep problems are common among those with ADHD. These include difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep and waking in the middle the night. These symptoms can be caused by a number of things, including medication, caffeine or alcohol. Lack of sleep can result in a poorer quality of life and an increased risk of heart disease, obesity and other health problems.
Sleep problems can be caused by drugs used to treat hyperactivity in ADHD, especially in children. However the sedative effects from these drugs may actually aid in the promotion of sleep among young children suffering from ADHD. Clonidine in low doses -between 0.05-0.1 mg -- can produce sedative effects on adults. It is recommended to take it in the evening one hour before going to bed.
The long-acting oral stimulants methylphenidate osmotic release and lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (LDX) are prescribed for insomnia in some ADHD patients. Both have durations of efficacy of up to 12 hours and are recommended for this patient population in doses ranging from 1 to 4 mg daily. It is important to sub-type insomnia and assess sleep structure by using objective measures (polysomnography and actigraphy), as well as self- or parental-rated questionnaires and diary entries.
2. Medications to Help You Fall Sleep
People suffering from ADHD typically have trouble falling asleep at the end of the night. They might lie in their bed, flip and toss or wake up with every sound or interruption. This can result in sleep deprivation, which can increase ADHD symptoms and decreases mood. Studies have found that 10 to 15% of children suffering from ADHD struggle to fall asleep prior to puberty. Fortunately, there are medications that can help adults to fall asleep.
Many stimulant medications prescribed to treat ADHD can also help with sleep problems. In one study, children with ADHD who had a history of issues with sleep reported better sleeping when they took methylphenidate before bed. Before you try any treatment for insomnia, it is essential that you discuss your sleep issues with your physician. There may be a coexisting condition such as sleep apnea, depression or even sleep apnea. These conditions can cause similar symptoms to ADHD.
In medication for autism and adhd to a medical checkup, you can also practice good sleep hygiene. Try to get to bed at the same time every night, stay away from caffeine, nicotine and alcohol, exercise regularly, and practice meditation or mindfulness techniques. Progressive muscle relaxation (in which you tense and relax muscles one by one) and deep breathing exercises have been shown to help with sleep issues.
For adults suffering from insomnia who are unable improve with self-care, a psychiatrist may prescribe an antidepressant such as the benzodiazepine trazadone or temazepam. These antidepressants have been proven to treat insomnia, and they are less likely to interact with other sleeping medications than stimulant medication.
A melatonin-agonist, such as ramelteon, can aid in falling asleep. It is effective in treating primary insomnia and sleep disorders that can be comorbid for adults suffering from ADHD. This medication is beneficial for adults suffering from ADHD who have refractory sleep problems and who are not responding well to other treatments such as behavioral therapy, antidepressants, or antidepressants.
This treatment is also safe during pregnancy. If your physician suggests this treatment for you, they will be monitoring your blood sugar levels to ensure that there aren't any side negative effects. If they do the case, your doctor will decrease the dosage to a safe level for you to take during your pregnancy and nursing.
3. There are medications that can aid in waking you up
When people with ADHD wake up their racing brains usually interfere with getting back to sleep. If they aren't able to go back to sleep, the lack of restful sleep can cause them to feel exhausted and sluggish during the daytime. It can also affect their ability to learn to concentrate, pay attention and focus.
It's important to know that many stimulant medications prescribed for ADHD symptoms can also aid with sleep disorders. One study found that people who suffer from ADHD and preexisting sleep disorders experienced less sleep disturbances after they started taking a low dose of methylphenidate.
ADHD is treated with a variety of stimulants, including medications that are quick-acting or extended-release. These drugs are typically taken in the morning, and last between six to eight hours. They can help reduce the "ups and downs" individuals encounter throughout the day. This could improve their work and school performance and help them avoid needing more medication later on during the day or at night.
Melatonin is also used by a lot of people with ADHD to help them sleep. Melatonin is known to aid in sleeping better. However, it is important to use it at the proper time. It won't be effective if you take it at the incorrect time.
Another alternative is benzodiazepines. These powerful depressants can assist those suffering from ADHD to sleep and remain asleep. However, this type of medication may be addictive and should only be used as required not as a permanent treatment.
There is still a need for more research into how to best address sleep issues among 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 the early years and into adulthood. It is also important to differentiate between the presence of ADHD-related sleep disorders and a diagnosis of a specific sleep disorder.
Alcohol is a popular method to self-medicate problems with sleep in those who do not have ADHD. Alcohol can make it harder to sleep, as it acts as an antidepressant.
4. Medications to Help You Stay Alert
A lot of stimulant medications used to treat ADHD also can improve alertness. This is due to the way that these medications alter the chemicals that are present in your mind.
However this doesn't mean people with ADHD don't have sleep problems. Many people who suffer from ADHD have reported having trouble with sleep. In my private practice, I've noticed that more than 80 percent of people I see suffer from sleep disturbances. They spend hours of the night with their thoughts bouncing and their bodies tumbling and turning before going back to sleep. After waking they are exhausted and depleted from this insomnia.
In certain cases sleep disturbances are directly manifestations of the hyperactivity and nocturnal mobitricity that are associated with ADHD. In other instances, sleep disturbances are caused by a lack of sleep and the inability of shutting down the arousal associated with daily activities. It has been proven that treating the underlying sleep disorders improves both insomnia and ADHD symptoms.
Stimulant medications can impair sleep in people with ADHD, but they also paradoxically improve insomnia and other underlying sleep disorders by reducing symptoms that hinder getting to sleep (Spruyt and Gozal 2011). Additionally, certain long-acting ADHD medications have an insufficient duration of effect which can lead to an increase of behavioral and hyperactivity at night, as drug concentrations decline (Cortese et al. 2013a, b; Lecendreux and Cortese 2007).
Ask your doctor if a sleep test is possible to determine other causes of your trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Your doctor will then prescribe a medication to treat both the ADHD as well as the sleep disorder.
In the meantime, you could try to reduce your dose of stimulants prior to going to bed by taking it in the morning instead of the afternoon or by taking smaller doses or a different type of stimulant. This will help you stay alert throughout the day and help you sleep at night. Be sure to follow the prescriptions for your medication, so that you don't suffer adverse side effects.