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Thank you so much! It would mean so much if you or those experts you talk with have additional information for military personnel with ADHD trying to sleep in combat zones!
sorry 4 my opinionn, but why i watched video "Struggling to Sleep with ADHD? Watch This!" but still no answer what to do whith sleep there is no answer; started to see u on tik tok whe i was diagnosed, thx alot 4 what you are doing, but this video sucks
"During my college enrollment, I initially chose History, Geography, and Political Science as my subjects. However, I soon became uncertain and was influenced by a friend who had opted for English Literature instead of Geography. I decided to follow suit and switched to English Literature, abandoning Geography. Interestingly, prior to college, I had chosen Mathematics in my 11th and 12th grades, but later regretted not pursuing it further. Instead, I reapplied to reinstate Geography as one of my subjects. After two to three months, I redeveloped an interest in English Literature and decided to pursue it alongside Geography and Economics, in addition to History. Throughout this process, I experienced persistent confusion, indecisiveness, and an inability to maintain focus on a single subject. These symptoms have led me to wonder if I might be experiencing Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)." Additional points to consider: - Do you experience difficulties with organization, time management, and meeting deadlines? - Have you noticed challenges with self-regulation of emotions, leading to mood swings or irritability? - Are you prone to impulsive decisions or actions, which might be detrimental to your personal or professional life? - Do you find it hard to maintain focus during conversations, reading, or other activities? If you identify with several of these points, it may be helpful to consult a mental health professional for a comprehensive evaluation and guidance.
Please do. I'd especially like to see something about Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome... I can never get to sleep at a decent hour and am always exhausted during most of the day. But then I'm wide awake before it's reasonable to go to sleep again. And, by some miracle I do get to sleep on time, I wake up a few hours later and CANNOT get back to sleep. And this is me, in my late Thirties, who has only recently found out I've had Inattentive ADHD my whole life.
Yes, so much yes. Yesterday I was gaming with a friend up until like 2am and I was tired. Then we quit the session, I just wanted to look at another video for a couple of minutes... and suddenly I was wide awake again. Wasn't feeling tired anymore until 5am and even then it took me more than 30 minutes to fall asleep. This is so frustrating sometimes. It's not like I can do anything with that sudden burst of energy, because I'm mentally exhausted then and not motivated to do something
I kinda feel like "Delayed sleep phase syndrome" is only really a sleep "disorder" because "being a morning person" is, for some reason, considered a virtue and so many jobs (and school) start early in the morning even when there's no real reason they have to. I currently work a job where I don't have to be in until noon. I can easily go to bed at 2am and get a full night's sleep before work. The downside is that it's a retail job, but being able to choose the afternoon to evening shift that works with the way I function is a huge perk. The most annoying thing about executive disfunction and sleep is that it's so much worse when you're tired. Which means the more I need to go to bed, the HARDER it is to get to bed. Sitting there, actively tired, repeating "get up, go to bed, get out of the chair, stop looking at your phone, you're not even enjoying this you're too tired" and just feeling stuck there is the worst. Though if you have amenable friends, posting "hey I need to go to bed can you yell at me to do it" in the group chat can sometimes unstick me lol
Totally agree! The entire idea of getting a "solid" eight hours of sleep is an industrial invention anyway. There's a fair amount of variation in sleep patterns across cultures and through history (e.g. siestas, "first" and "second sleep" of medieval Europe, or how classical Romans divided nights into quarters). When I had a bit of time off and no set schedule, I tried experimenting with just letting my body sleep whenever it wanted, whether that seemed like a reasonable time or not, and I discovered that depressive thoughts absolutely spike at around eight hours of being awake. But if I can divide my sleep so that I can at least get a nap at somewhere around the six to ten hour mark, then I get a noticeable improvement in my mood while getting about the same total hours of sleep. I have no idea why, but I guess my brain needs a hard reset every eight hours or so. It's a lot harder to keep that pattern with a schedule that's set by other people, but at least I know about that now.
THIS. I HATE that it's called a disorder. I changed my work hours, i'm sleeping from 3am to 10:30am and FINALLY FEEL RESTED. i feel better ! how is it a disorder lol my sleep schedule is just later... and in a community, in a society, that's a REALLY GOOD THING ! We need staggered sleep schedules! my cats have variations to each other in their sleep schedules, despite being the .... i forgot word... cuspid... thingy... awake at dawn and dusk. during the day and night they have their own variations to each other, sometimes by a lot, so why on earth would we expect humans to be robotic clones of each other functioning on just one schedule??? .... their logic is more disordered than my sleep ! !!!
I've learned over the years as someone with ADHD that sometimes to get to sleep, you may need to just shift your hyperfocus from one thing to another. Sometimes on nights when I have difficulty shutting off my brain when trying to sleep, I take out my telescope and look at stars and galaxies or planets, and concentrate on trying to see what details I can pick out that night. Usually a 45-minute observing session is all I need to de-clutter my brain. The thing is, for this method to work, it has to be something that takes a lot of mental effort but is something that you enjoy. For some, it could be drawing.
I've always been a night owl when it came to sleep scheduling. Retirement years makes it a lot easier to deal with a 3 ~ 4 AM bedtime; though it does put me out-of-sync with the rest of the populace. This is something that has plagued me since my teen years. Even doing decades of office work with having conventional hours didn't break me of my night owl habit. When I was employed, 10 or 11 PM bedtime was a deadline I had to keep. But when unemployed when a 6 AM awakening was not needed, I found myself getting to bed around midnight. Weeks later it was 1 AM; then it got to be 2 AM. In my retirement years, rarely do I get to bed prior to midnight. When I had cats and I stayed up till 3 AM, my cats loved it, as I kept the hours that were agreeable with them, as cats are predominantly nocturnal creatures.
Are you me from the future? Because as a fellow night owl, staying up till 3 am with bunch of my cats in retirement years sounds like my dream future 😄
I was once tested for sleep apnea due to restless nights. I had to go to the hospital to get wired up to take my pulse as well as record my breathing and then go home on the London Underground. I was so nervous going on public transport covered in hidden wires! Turned out I didn't have sleep apnea and just 13 short years later, I was diagnosed with ADHD.
I just learned such an awesome trick for falling asleep! You pick a random word, then you take the first letter of that word and try to come up with as many words as you can that starts with that letter. And then you do the same with the second letter of your word. And so on and so forth. Never made it past the second letter. I have no idea why it works so well, but it’s bloody magic
Cognitive shuffling ALSO worked for me for a bit but then I got bored of it and felt like I couldn't brainstorm more words Maybe IF I need to use it next, I will put words on random chits and choose them But I need to keep the chits rotating every week bcuz piling chits for more than that will make the container SUPER dusty and just be awful for my nose.
This does work amazingly well. I do a slightly different version. I pick a category or subject, for example, fruits. Then go through the alphabet coming up with things in that category starting with each letter. So apple, banana, cantaloupe, date, etc. I usually pick something a bit more interesting. It's great because it gives my brain something to do, but with some guardrails that don't let it go off ruminating and worrying and such.
I have this game as well where I will think of a song for every letter of the alphabet. It made me realize why 'counting sheep' is a cliche for falling asleep (although I don't even know if anyone even does it). It's a mildly engaging activity but just engaging enough to keep your brain busy.
I heard about this method on an episode of Ologies with Allie Ward about sleep! I'd highly recommend it if you're interested in learning more about sleep (and ADHD).
My sleep has ADHD. It continues to come up with new ways of disordered sleeping, my psychiatrist was fascinated. Sometimes I sleep great. Sometimes I randomly have a sleep disorder for two months. Then a completely different one. Then it's fine again. I think my sleep is trying to make sleep interesting.
I was undergoing treatment with a sleep disorder clinic until it became apparent that the root cause of my sleep issues was ADHD. They discharged me after 4 years of multiple (and constantly changing) diagnoses, trialling every drug on the market, multiple diagnostic tests incl. MRI, 2 bouts of melatonin, sleep diaries, and frequent & unnecessary reminders about sleep hygiene. I think they were glad to be rid of me!
It used to take me at least an hour to fall asleep. I NEVER thought listening to something to fall asleep would work. TV, music, and even white noise keep me awake so hard. However, I discovered sleep stories on the Calm app (lots on youtube too), tried them out, and suddenly I could sleep. I think it's because sleep stories are meant to take you on a visual journey, so it keeps your visual imagination engaged without giving you any plot to follow or any very exciting thoughts. So basically anything that paints a picture but isn't TOO interesting, like an audiobook you already know well. Erik Braa has a podcast called The SleepyTime Braacast that I like a lot because his voice is so calming.
Yesss I recently discovered Calm and had thought exactly the same, there's no way I can fall asleep listening to something. Even if I don't fall asleep listening to the story, I find it a lot quicker to fall asleep afterwards so have ended up going to be earlier to use the sleep stories to calm down!
For me, it's a hit or miss strategy. If the story is too exiting, I stay awake. If the story is too boring, I get annoyed and stay awake. It works when it's juuuuust at the right spot between not boring and not exciting.
@@KiraFriede Yeah, it's not a 100% thing for me. I've had to turn many off and try another. The reader's voice or how slow/fast they read can bother me too. I've found about 3-4 stories that I have a lot of success with and tend to stick to them. There's one in particular that I've listened to a TON and after listening to it so many times, I'm basically powerless to it putting me right to sleep. 😄 And this is after a lifetime of not being able to sleep from like age 7 to 35+
I do something similar with music. I have a Fitbit, and in the app, there is a "Coach" page with exercise videos and other things you can just listen to. One of the pages is called Mindfulness. There, they have various categories to help you be more be more mindful of yourself. There are sections for foundational practice for learning meditation. there are also sleep meditations that help you focus on something other than berating yourself for not being able to sleep. Some are stories, some are guided meditations to help you get to sleep, and some are simply music. They vary in length. The music is soothing and relaxing. There's one that's an hour long and others around 4 minutes. One I listen to is 30 min long. Sometimes, I can get to sleep in 30 min, but then there are days when it takes longer than a half hour to get to sleep. And then I have to restart. Some sessions are sleep stories in the mix as well. There's even one meditation that helps with getting back to sleep after bad dreams. Once you find the sessions that appeal, you can add them to the "Favorites" tab so you don't have to search for them. Calm has partnered with Fitbit, so many of their sessions are also on the app.
Yeah, I need something to listen to to go to sleep, but it has to be just right. Not too boring, not too exciting. But it can vary from day to day. Something that worked yesterday might not be right today
Love this! My circadian rhythm is definitely set for "night watch" mode lol I'd enjoy seeing a video testing or giivng opinions on products that supposedly help you sleep, like weighted blankets, sunlight lamps, etc. I'm sure we've all heard the well-meaning recommendations, but I've not seen anything looking into it from an ADHD perspective.
Could you talk about Bedtime procrastination please? Not just ‘Revenge’ bedtime procrastination but general procrastination (I get it on days I’ve been relaxing on a beach too). Also techniques to stop your mind spinning at night and to avoid using your phone
Psychedelics are just an exceptional mental health breakthrough. It's quite fascinating how effective they are against depression and anxiety. Saved my life.
Can you help with the reliable source I would really appreciate it. Many people talk about mushrooms and psychedelics but nobody talks about where to get them. Very hard to get a reliable s0urce here in Australia. Really need!
Yes, myco_saint. I have the same experience with anxiety, depression, PTSD and addiction and Mushrooms definitely made a huge huge difference to why am clean today.
Sleep is the struggle of my life. When i was a kid it was typical to lay in bed wide awake and finally doze when the sun came up. Just to be woken up for school shortly after. Struggle to stay awake all day, and then ten at night hits and do the struggle all over again.
Story of my life. Most of my adult life I’d struggle to sleep just to be able to finally fall asleep at the first streak of daylight. Mid 40s and now I can’t even do that well. (Currently 7am, I’m still trying to get to sleep from last night)
I'm 35 and that was me too so can't blame screen time for that we didn't have smart phones and tablets back then but my mum would put me to bed at 9pm and I'd still be lying awake when she came up to bed at around midnight only to then be very sluggish in the morning
@@User-qn1gs1ig4q62 right?! I'm 44... Didn't have a TV in my room until I was a teen. Just hours and hours in the dark. Although, there was reading by flashlight, even that was limited because of batteries!
@@jessicaerickson2424 same thing with my son, and to deal with it myself is one thing, to not be able to help my kid feels worse. I can relate with him, we have tried a lot of things over the years.
Thanks so much Jessica! I would really enjoy seperate videos on each different type of sleep disorder, how it is connected to ADHD (the science ;-) ) and what strategies have been clinically proven helpful for ADHDers for each different sleep disorder. And a deep dive video in general sleep difficulties, how they are connected to ADHD (the science) and again strategies that can help. That would be so cool!
I do so much better these days because I’m self employed and have the luxury of going to bed when I’m actually sleepy-somewhere between 12:30 am and 2 am usually. The delayed sleep thing is very real. Now that I can keep a schedule that conforms to what my body wants, I have no problem going to sleep or staying asleep generally. I wish this was an option for more people. I do sometimes have a problem with sleep revenge procrastination when I have too many things on my calendar as an ineffective way of trying to regain control of my schedule, but staying up too late just because you don’t want to do what you have to do is not helpful. Anyway, I do so much better with focus and all of the ADHD challenges when I can keep my natural schedule, therefore I get enough sleep consistently. I’d love to see more information on the delayed sleep thing. It is treated as a disorder, but it really isn’t if you don’t have to keep a neurotypical schedule.
Goddamnit. I literally couldn't get to sleep until 3:30 on Sunday night and called out sick on Monday. I was literally angry for 2 hours while in bed staring at my screen...
Graveyard worker here. Sleep and schedule do not exist in the same sentence for me! I will say that silicone ear plugs and the Manta eye mask have been priceless to my ability to be able to sleep when I do/can.
Loving the manta sleep mask for side sleepers. ❤️ I've got to be picky about types of earplugs because of a daith piercing (got it to try to help with migraines, it didn't, but I scored major cool points with my sister, so I'll keep it), so that complicates things a bit. Considering getting the new manta sleep mask with Bluetooth integrated for sleepy podcasts tho.
I take my Adderall in the morning and about an hour later I start yawning and can go back to sleep for an hour or two. Usually about 3 or 4 hours before bedtime I eat an edible and sleep fantastically. If not I roll around for more than an hour until I either fall asleep or just say screw it and get up lol
I'm the opposite. Slept decently for the first time ever after starting Ritalin. So, it's hard to predict. Just depends on the individual and the medication.
Hyperfocusing on the back of my eyelids! 😂😂😂 I love that so much! Your videos are the perfect blend of entertaining and educational. I’m so impressed with how accurate you are. So often there are Influencers who just spout off what they think is true like it’s fact, but you really take the time and have the research to back up your statements. ❤❤❤❤
I would love to know more about the different sleep disorders that are common with adhd and strategies to combat those and strategies for sleep and adhd in general
Actually, I usually don't watch ADHD videos anymore because I don't want to feel worse about myself, but I don't know. I just clicked on this one and it was just engaging. I was just engaged the whole way. It was a really good watch. Thank you.
I'd love to see more on sleep - I have problems with 'fake sleep' which is where I feel like I'm tired during the day, but my body refuses to sleep when I get into bed - because I'm not ACTUALLY tired! I think it's just ADHD boredom/a lack of dopamine and my brain trying desperately to fix that by going to bed! I hate it, because my brain is desperately trying to convince myself I'm tired, when I know it's just looking for a way out from the boredom.
I have been trying to regulate my sleep schedule this fall and it's so hard! My spouse and I both work from home, so there's no specific time that I HAVE to get up. It seems like I can usually get 7-9 hours, but it's not always uninterrupted -- I often wake up between 3 and 5am (like, 1-2 times a week) and might have trouble getting back to sleep and then end up sleeping later to make up for the lost hours. It's so frustrating. I also have such a hard time with morning and evening routines. Most mornings, I just want to do the bare minimum so I can start my day -- especially if I slept later than I planned. In the evenings, I have a really hard time recognizing when it's time to get ready for bed and stopping whatever I'm doing to go do that and transition into the non-thinking part of the day. If I expose myself to any work, planning, or social related tasks in the hour before I go to bed, I feel like I have a harder time getting to sleep and am more likely to wake up in the middle of the night, probably thinking about that stuff. Gah! Sleeping is so hard! But I'm completely useless without it!
You might find it interesting to know that sleeping in two smaller chunks was the norm for human beings prior to electric lighting. Needing to get all our sleep in one uninterrupted block is a byproduct of the modern age and the work schedules that came with it. Granted that knowledge doesn't do much to actually fix the problem, but maybe knowing that will help it feel less stressful when it happens and that will improve your sleep quality. 🙂
My main issue is getting my brain to wind down. YMMV but I noticed a definite improvement after I started taking Straterra. It hasn’t fixed the problem but I am now falling asleep within 60-90 minutes of lights out 6:20 instead of 2-3 hours+.
This is great timing considering I fell asleep near 1am last night and woke up at 4am only to not be able to fall back asleep. I've accepted my fate of tiredness for today :D I'm glad this is being addressed since I remember having trouble falling asleep for ages ever since I was little since my mind never quiets.
same. laat few days a woke up at 3~4 although having slept at 22~1 .. and then the extreme tiredness at 13~16 and the unavoidable nap between 16 and 20. It's brocken as of yet. And the goal remains.. sleeping at 23~1 and waking up at around 8. I dunno, but cant the heck get there, even after having tried so for alnost 2 years straight. And sleep problems are rotating. it's not a fixed thing. currently it's the delayed sleep phase though and i do hope that the open window will help get it fixed enough till this sunday, because i wanna play great chess and not some tired blunderfest
I used to struggle with insomnia, but I've since taken measures to help myself sleep and now it's absolutely no trouble for me. What I did: 1. I've stopped using my room lights, and allow things to become dark as night falls so my body doesn't think it's daytime. I instead get light through a portable lamp I can adjust the brightness of. This also has the side-benefit of cluing you in when it's late at night because everything goes dark. 2. I use a mental exercise when I'm in bed and trying to sleep, known as Cognitive Shuffle: a. Pick an emotionally-neutral word when you're in bed and trying to sleep. It doesn't have to be the same word every time. b. For each letter in the word, think of as many words as you can that begin with that letter and try to picture them in your head. For example, the word 'apple'. 'A' -- 'aardvark', 'ask', 'app', etc. c. Once you can't think of any more words for a letter, move on to the next: 'P' -- 'parsnip', 'prune', 'pull', etc. d. If you reach the end of the word and you're still awake, pick another and start the process over.
I would love to hear more from you about sleep and ADHD!! I have struggled with sleep my entire life! (All of 29 years) I would really love to hear some different ways to start a bedtime routine (I’m thinking timers/gentle sounding alarms could really help with this) and what those routines may look like for different people! Thank you so much for sharing! 💖
Yes, I would definitely LOVE more sleep videos, about sleep disorders, as well as a bunch of skills and techniques and resources and guidance on how to have better sleep overall. P.S., watching this at 5 am!
Thank you Jessica you have help my ADHD since my i known my ADHD was there im only 10 . I did project on ADHD and you have helped me and my friends with it. Thanks so much Graciexx
Insomnia was a biggie with me -- especially when I feel pressured to fall asleep. As someone with sleep apnea, I found the CPAP helpful for restful sleep, partly because the oxygen goes directly to the brain.
Yesssssssss, oxygen is so so so so so important to brain and body function. I know some people who have it but struggle sleeping with the cpap... did you find any difficulty with the cpap at all? If so what did you do to get used to it and be able to sleep? :) (If not that's cool too!)
@@HowtoADHD The CPAP takes getting used to. (Especially fitting it inside my nostrils!) But now I can't imagine sleeping without it. What a difference it makes! However, I still have a problem with distractions, an overactive mind. When you have ADHD, you're forever fighting.
Interesting timing on this video for me. I have a sleep study consultation next week. Apparently, Obstructive Sleep Apnea has a lesser known brother called Central Sleep Apnea where your brain stops sending your lungs the signal to breathe. Like Obstructive Sleep Apnea it causes headaches, daytime sleepiness, nighttime awakeness, and brain fog. Unlike OSA, CSA does not cause snoring. You can have both kinds at once too. Eventually sleep apnea can lead to heart failure and death if left untreated. I found out about this because I had some lab work done by a hospital and they saw that I had an elevated red blood cell/hemoglobin count, which is often a symptom of sleep apnea. Apparently people with ADHD are at a higher risk of developing both types of sleep apnea.
I woke up to use the bathroom and afterward picked up the screen to see what time it was, what was the temperature, and oh let’s hear a podcast talk to help get back to sleep… and literally found this vid at 3am talking about watching vids at 3 am …
Thank you for making this video and any subsequent videos on sleep. I have had problems with sleeping on a normal schedule since I was about 13 years old and did not realize until my 30s that it was a serious issue. I feel like there also is not enough attention on the wake cycle of people with ADHD. Yeah, I struggle to fall asleep and stay asleep, but also waking up and getting out of bed is a two hour ordeal. Every day. I've been struggling with this for so long (since middle school) and it seems to have only gotten worse as I have gotten older. Too often do I get asked about my sleep habits and it usually gets boiled down to "you just need better sleep hygiene" and that is such an unhelpful way to find a solution. There's a lot more going on in the ADHD brain than the general public (and often people with ADHD) realize. I have been to so many doctors over the years and still have yet to come to a solid long-term solution. I definitely did not choose to have these sleep problems and I definitely did not choose to sleep 17 hours on average a couple years ago -- this occurred while I was unmedicated. I have been tracking my sleep for a couple years now and I can pinpoint the day that I started taking my medicine. My sleep pattern compressed from 17 hours on average of intermittent sleep to about 8 hours with few interruptions. ADHD medication certainly did help shift my sleep cycle to a more manageable and healthy pattern, but it didn't fix it completely. Falling asleep is still a challenge sometimes and waking up continues to be a monumental task. I do not feel awake and alert until about mid-afternoon and I do not get tired until about 3-4am. This has caused so much frustration and stress for me, my family, my friends, and has definitely made it way more difficult to find employment and just be an active participant in society. I do not expect this channel to have the answers to fix my malady, but I do appreciate that this channel conjures up the discussions of the struggles that people with ADHD often face on a daily basis with resources and some tools that may help us cope. We need voices in these spaces so that we can also learn to advocate for ourselves and others that may be struggling with similar problems. Keep up the great work! 💙
Would love a video about sleep issues due to trouble transitioning! I feel like once I get to bed I sleep fine but the problem is stopping what I’m doing and getting up and starting my bedtime routine. I appreciate your channel!
Over the years I've come to the realisation that a large part of why I find it hard to relax in the evenings is the quiet. It makes me vigilant. If I'm going to relax properly I need the sound of human voices. Friendly, relaxed, comfortably chattering voices. Like the background chatter of a cafe. It triggers something in the back of my brain that says "everything is ok, everyone is safe. Someone else has their eyes on the perimeter, so I can close mine."
That makes so much sense. Maybe that's part of why I like ASMR so much more than just relaxing music when I'm trying to wind down. Or why I have a hard time not passing out doing gentle yoga.
I’ve been struggling with sleep recently and I think I may have delayed sleep/schedule disorder (I’m going to talk to my parents about it.) This has given me some ideas on how to solve it for now. Thank you so much! This was so helpful.
I've been a new Mom now for 6 months, my ADHD kicks in the most at night. I would greatly appreciate more videos/ deep dives into sleep. Lately, it feels like I'm more awake when I try to sleep than I am awake. My eyes are closed, dim light coming from the hallway, feels like there is a light in my face.
Hi Jess, great video as always. My partner (also an ADHD brain) has big problems with restless leg syndrome, so I would love to hear more about your experience with it and what helps you. Loved your video as always.
Seconding that request. I have RLS. It sucks. Has your partner gotten their ferritin level checked? My sleep specialist checked mine and found it was suboptimal. She told me to take an iron supplement to try to get it closer to 100 ng/ml as getting it to that level tends to help reduce symptoms. Even though my level is still on it's way to ideal, taking iron has already helped tremendously. I've actually slept through the night, which never happened before. Plus my knees stopped hurting all the time (cause I stopped kicking and locking them in my sleep). Don't take iron without having levels checked and monitored though, as it can be harmful if it isn't needed. Full spectrum CBD, 400mg magnesium glycinate and 400mg L-theanine at bedtime have been very helpful as well. Hope your partner finds some relief!
Yes! Please more videos about sleep. Learning that insomnia and sleep apnea was associated with this was so helpful for making me not feel so much like a failure or lazy because sleep was hard for me
I stayed up at 4:20 AM last night watching YT, but atleast I'm watching this at 5:49 PM today, I'm a die hard night person but would like to become a day person again!
Delayed sleep phase syndrome here...the ONLY thing I've found actually gets me to fall asleep when I need to is 3-5mg of melatonin about 30 minutes before i go to bed and listening to a familiesr podcast while going to sleep. My body doesn't create melatonin at the time that it should so jumpstarting that process helps a lot. The familiar podcast give me enough input to quiet the racing thoughts, but its not interesting enough that i stay awake to listen.
@DigitalConfusion1 I do this with supervision from my doctor! Since the melatonin production is a verified issue it is similar to taking a stimulant medication during the day. Also as far as I've been able to find in research the main concern with taking melatonin is that it can mess with the circadian rhythm if taken at high doses, but at such a small dose and where I am intentionally trying to shift the circadian rhythm those concerns are not an issue. Please share if you've found research that indicates otherwise!
I will also add that the negative effects of sleep deprivation far outweigh any potential side effects from long term melatonin use for me. It's a risk/benefit conversation that is worth having for people who struggle with insomnia!
Holy crap, I never thought I would click on this video so fast, this is one of the things I suffer with so much. There is one thing I'm not sure was covered or not, but please correct me if I'm wrong: I sometimes suffer from my mind occasionally racing or spiraling when I'm trying to sleep. Like, I've winded down, I've turned down my phone's brightness to the lowest possible setting, I have white noise playing, I took my sleep aid, all of the step I'd take on a daily basis to make sure I get some shut eye. Unfortunately, there are nights where I have a barrage of thoughts hit me, almost like my mind is having a loud conversation with itself, and I just can't find the moment to just ease my mind and rest. Sometimes it gets so severe that I would lay down by 12 or 1a, but don't actually clear the buffer until somewhere around 5am because thoughts wanted to go brrr for some apparent reason. I don't know who else deals with this, but I just wanted to share this with you because it is one of the common things that would bother me, and I wonder if this is one of those things where my adhd brain somehow came with RNG for brainstorming ideas and thoughts. ^^;
For me it helps to stick to a strict sleep schedule, to actually do stuff during the day and make sure there aren't any things I need to think about anymore. For that last point I make sure I have done stuff that might weigh on my mind and to migrate things off my list to other days when I didn't get around to everything. It doesn't always work, but it has drastically improved my quality of life.
I've had so many issues with sleeping, and then once I got on my meds it started to get much better and if I don't take my meds i'm tired at 1pm in the afternoon. I would like to learn more about it, I had always thought I had sleep apnea, and I learned I prob have restless leg syndrome thanks to this video. I love these videos so much and I appreiciate the effort you put into them. I can't get enough of you're channel! from a Fellow ADHDer!
I would love to hear about strategies for sleep and staying awake when you have a job that requires starting at 8:30 or 9am regularly - I struggle HARD with jobs that start early because of my sleep pattern being off and hearing about some strategies would be so useful!!! Also, this video was SO validating!!! Hearing about these disorders really helped put into words some of the things I’ve been struggling with since I was 11 or 12. So thank you so much for making this video! You do great work :)
I have a sleep study in just a couple weeks, so yesss for more videos on this! I only have a vague idea of sleep disorders, and it's always hard to articular to doctors that "tired" is not "sleepy". I'm tired all the time, even right when I wake up, but I'm not about to fall asleep when I'm talking to someone. I'm not *sleepy*, I'm so mentally exhausted from using my brain that I'm *tired* because I feel like my brain has been running on fumes for years and not even sleeping is enough to rest my brain and recover. But yeah I can definitely take a nap in the middle of the day, if I am allowed to sneak off to a quiet room and I am not stimulated by anything and I'm able to hide under covers in the dark. Which is a useful thing, given migraines are also a common occurrence for me. We love migraines and sleep issues going hand in hand, and adhd and sleep issues going hand in hand...
OMG the tired and exhausted but not sleepy thing. . . that was my life for years. (Maybe take a look into MCAS? That was the problem for me, it's more common with ADHDers, and if you have migraines it makes me extra suspicious.)
I feel kind of guilty that I can only watch your videos at 2x speed and skip through the ad, but I still really appreciate your content and how it helps me deal with stuff, 100%.
I have sleep anxiety, don't know if it's related to my ADHD, but it probably is since part of the whole anxiety is that I know my brain won't shut up when I'm trying to sleep. So I end up not even trying. This on top of my other illnesses keeps me up many nights, including tonight (it's currently 3:30 and I can't bring myself to try and sleep). Thanks for another great video to keep me company in the night ☺️
Thank you for this video! Yes. Please more sleep information. I started working (at Walmart) a couple of months ago. Sleep has been one of the biggest problems (even when I manage to get to bed "on time" to wake up at a "reasonable" hour FOR work).
Yes please! Restless leg is my thing, and for me acupuncture works! But I'd love to get tips and tricks. Even just hearing that it's not me helped...I have never seen a major difference between screens vs no screens, so I'm glad to hear I'm not crazy.
My anxiety *always* kicks up at bedtime. I'll be fine, lay down to get to sleep, and BAM! anxiety. ASMR videos help me so much by giving my brain something to focus on. I also set my phone to turn on the blue light filter at least an hour before I normally go to bed.
Anecdotal Information FWIW: Adult (44m), severe ADHD-c. I will swing back and forth between be capable of sleeping 12+ hours easily and getting 2hours max with most of the time in bed staring at a wall listening to my brain go full speed. Diagnosed with off-the-charts sleep apnea (after a vacation with friends where my room buddy said he was regularly worried that i had just stopped breathing altogether) the CPAP helps out a lot. If i DO manage to go to sleep and gte to the deep stages, im not awoken by my lack of working lungs. Man I'd love some sort of regularity in my sleep. but alas, its just the price i pay for this particular superpower i suppose. Sweet Dreams fellow Brains
Yes, please. More sleep videos. I had to switch to working the night shift just so that I could be awake while I'm at work. Its an extreme example, but it was the only thing I've done that worked.
Some stuff that helps me: 1. For racing thoughts/hyperfixation/overstimulation: I try not to be in any voice chat shortly before sleep, lights out even if my devices aren't. I put on something like a lore video or podcast I don't mind missing the details of and try to pay attention to the words rather than my thoughts. Focusing makes me tired and I fall asleep! 2. Sleep paralysis/demons: Weighted blankets or being sandwiched by pillows. I dunno why but it helps. Stuff I struggle with: Bedtime routine? who dat lol When I have my partner around, them going to do it is a cue for me to do it but I don't have one when they're not around aside from the above + PJs.
I learned today about Intrusive Sleep which apparently is common in ADHDers and happens when your nervous system disengages abruptly! It’s when intense drowsiness and sleepiness show up after losing interest in an activity 🤯 would be awesome if you could talk a little bit about this one!
My baffling disorder is not falling asleep, but staying asleep. I will go to bed without problem then wake up 5 hours later too restless to fall back asleep then I'm just restless for the rest of the day.
Oh, I needed this. I struggle with revenge bedtime procrastination (is that what it's called?) because I work all day, starting at 4 am, and then care for my dying mother until she goes to bed at 9 pm, so I don't wanna go to bed until I enjoy myself. Why did I just info dump all that?
For restless leg syndrome I recently discovered cold showers. When my legs go crazy and I can't sleep I go shower my legs with the coldest water possible. At first my nervous system is shocked but when I go back to bed, my legs are calm and I can sleep
COLD SHOWERS ACTUALLY MOTIVATE ME TO….DO THINGS! Sometimes it still fails, but most of the time it WORKS! (Relieves anxiety too!) AuDHD here. After my first cold shower, I started writing color coded to-do lists and since then I’ve been checking the items off. (Slower than a neurotypical would, but they ARE getting done!) It’s been 4 months of cold showers and I can’t believe they’re still working. I was telling my friends about it and they were like “wow, it sounds like how I feel when I take my ADHD meds” Another boost is that cold showers have INCREASED my already super-active imagination and my creativity, as well as my drive to sit down and write, draw, take notes, research. This is great because actual ADHD medication heightens my Autistic traits so much that I feel like a different person. It also kills my creativity and my love of music which is sad. (Don’t need the dopamine anymore I guess 😢) I had to get off meds. But yeah, cold showers are a freakin’ miracle. My nervous system has never been happier. I also sleep better at night! (Though still go to sleep at 2am)
👍👍 I'm constantly tired but often can't get to sleep or stay asleep 👍😭 Insomnia sucks but it doesn't usually stay unbearable for very long, eventually you'll get through the worst of it 💛👍!
Yeah, it can be a cycle for some people! If it doesn't cycles or it cycles too slowly deeeeefinitely talk to our dooooctor. But if it's manageable, woooooo! Cool! yay!
I found out, after years of drinking coffee and sodas, that I am a slow metabolizer of caffeine. It takes 10-12 hours for any caffeine to process through us who have the genetics for slow metabolizing of caffeine. SO I tried de-caffeinated coffee and, after finding some good ones (some are AWFUL) I now enjoy coffee most days and have almost ZERO insomnia. I also now have less nighttime trips to the bathroom. I often only get up once in the night without caffeine consumption. IF I find myself awake too late now, it's almost always because I had some form of caffeine that day, even dark chocolate(!). So sometimes I have some chocolate, but never when I don't have some nap time built into the next day (not working). I'm 58.
We need more sleep videos! I myself got delayed sleep syndrome and excessive daytime sleepiness. And they (almost) seem to be disconnected from each other.
Hello mom of the brains! Could you please do videos on *all* of the mentioned sleep-related things? And have an invited talk from your fabulous AuDHD partner about sleep problems for AuDHDers (like me) too? And what to do about it? (Techniques, meds, anything that helps.) That would really hit the spot for me. Thank you, MOTB! 😊
Excellent suggestion! I too would love to see that video as I've been learning more and more that the standard sleep advice is practically useless for my AuDHD brain.
I went to bed without having some random video in the background. I guess that's why I am watching this video right now with no hope of falling asleep. It's going to be a great productive day today!
Good video Jessica. Have you tried taking magnesium to see if that will alleviate the restless leg syndrome? Whenever I have that problem it typically comes after I haven't take magnesium for too long of a time, so I try to make sure I take it everyday. A side note, if you decide to try it, look for Magnesium Glycinate, it's the easiest for the body to absorb. I've decided that in 2025, I'm going to focus on healing my Microbiome. A lot of stuff can mess up your gut health which can then lead to a nutritional deficiency.
Love this topic. I'm interested in hearing more about the delayed circadian rhythms or even alternative takes on "If I don't go to sleep at 10 pm and wake with the rising sun, I'm a bad person". I feel like a lot of sleep hygiene advice is riddled with toxic productivity and hypercapitalist viewpoints. I personally feel like it's unrealistic to expect of ourselves to have a perfect nightime routine every day! Like I have my ideal routine but don't do it every day and that's totally okay.
@@peterparker1262 Can't sleep bro.... waiting for the sun then I can sleep and I have to go for work tomorrow morning so best of luck to me 😂😅 And Good Night 👍
Thank you for this video. I have many troubles which u can probably relate to. A few of these relate to me and I will look more into them. Exited for part 2
Funny that this uploaded the night I had a random bout of insomnia. 😅 I'm an outlier as an ADHDer: an early bird. Insomnia is especially fun because I usually don't get to fall asleep until 30 minutes to 2 hours before I naturally wake up again. I'd love to hear more on my biggest sleep issue: I'm exhausted and ready to sleep, brain is nice and quiet, caffeine is out of my system, but I still feel stimulated and can't turn off "work mode" so I can finally get to sleep. It's like a computer that refuses to power down that you can't unplug.
I had huge troubles in waking up in the morning, then I got prescribed the vitamine B12 supplements (vegetarian) and it got a lot better. Then I got my official ADHD diagnosis and the stimulants are great but caused me insomnia or bad quality sleep so I have to skip meds every other day. My body shape and health worsened a lot during the pandemic and I believe that's why the stimulants accumulates over time in my body (and fat), in fact if I do some exercise after lunch I can experience the crash in the evening (which is a good thing) and have a higher quality sleep to have the full meds effect and avoid skipping 2 days in a row. Still very unfortunate not being able to take meds every day, but yea I need to work on my physical health I guess which is a good thing in general Edit: And after a poor quality sleep, if I take the meds in the morning they do absolutely nothing, zero effect
Interesting. I think they accumulate with me as well. I tried to tell my doc, but she seemed to not believe me and told me they don't stay in the system that long. But it kept getting worse and worse and additionally began disturbing my moods, so I stopped meds altogether. The meds would help IF I could sleep on them, but without sleep there's nothing that cuts through. I'd rather sleep and struggle with ADHD than not sleep and struggle with ADHD lol.
@tiptapkey Yeah it's a real struggle, my advice are: 1 take care of your digestive system, 2 try to do some workout, 3 Make sure the temperature, light, noise, etc. are minimized during sleep. Also, you may try different brands of meds, both long release and immediate release or even the non-stimulants. You may also eventually look for a psychiatrist change because that lack of trust and respect is a very bad sign
Thank you! For me personally this video is very timely. A potential topic could be how to discuss ADHD and sleep issues with medical professionals? I've spent thousands on specialists this year for fatigue and not one has referred me to a sleep study!! They don't want to investigate/diagnose (which would be helpful), only medicate over and over.
That sounds super frustrating. Sorry if this seems obvious, but have you outright requested a referral? It seems odd they wouldn't give you one, especially since it sounds like you're paying out of pocket to see them. If you have a good relationship with your primary care provider, I would let them know how much the sleep problems are affecting your health and just ask for a sleep study, even an at home one. Do you know if you snore or stop breathing in your sleep? They should be testing you regardless, but I think that if they hear that, it will help your cause. That's what got me one. I hope you get the help you need figuring this out!
P.S. If you don't know if you snore or stop breathing, there's a free app called SnoreDoctor designed by an ear nose and throat specialist. It records any snoring or apneas that occur while you're asleep and tells you a few other things about your sleep as well. Kind of like an extremely light version of a sleep study.
As someone with adhd and extreme night terrors i would love to see a video on that, as none of the doctors i talked to seem to know why i have these or where they come from
Yes, please. One of my bigger challenges is Reverse Bedtime Procrastination. I managed to organize my work and life around my delayed circadian rhythm, but when I'm tired after a busy day, I always fall for this trap. Another thing I feel like is definitely not talked about enough is stimulants and sleep. There are brains who struggle with falling asleep because of the radio in the head, and take meds to turn down the volume of their thoughts, which helps them to fall asleep. It's almost impossible to find information on how it affects the sleep and how good or bad idea it actually is. Only my second psychiatrist explained to me that stimulants worsen the quality of sleep, so we wake up less regenerated. Similar case as going to sleep drunk, though I don't remember the details he told me. I really would like to see this topic clearly explained.
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Thank you so much! It would mean so much if you or those experts you talk with have additional information for military personnel with ADHD trying to sleep in combat zones!
sorry 4 my opinionn, but why i watched video "Struggling to Sleep with ADHD? Watch This!"
but still no answer what to do whith sleep there is no answer;
started to see u on tik tok whe i was diagnosed, thx alot 4 what you are doing, but this video sucks
"During my college enrollment, I initially chose History, Geography, and Political Science as my subjects. However, I soon became uncertain and was influenced by a friend who had opted for English Literature instead of Geography. I decided to follow suit and switched to English Literature, abandoning Geography.
Interestingly, prior to college, I had chosen Mathematics in my 11th and 12th grades, but later regretted not pursuing it further. Instead, I reapplied to reinstate Geography as one of my subjects. After two to three months, I redeveloped an interest in English Literature and decided to pursue it alongside Geography and Economics, in addition to History.
Throughout this process, I experienced persistent confusion, indecisiveness, and an inability to maintain focus on a single subject. These symptoms have led me to wonder if I might be experiencing Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)."
Additional points to consider:
- Do you experience difficulties with organization, time management, and meeting deadlines?
- Have you noticed challenges with self-regulation of emotions, leading to mood swings or irritability?
- Are you prone to impulsive decisions or actions, which might be detrimental to your personal or professional life?
- Do you find it hard to maintain focus during conversations, reading, or other activities?
If you identify with several of these points, it may be helpful to consult a mental health professional for a comprehensive evaluation and guidance.
Yep! This is me pretty much every night. Thanks! 👍
Hey adore your videos, but is it possible to have the promotions at the beginning or at the very end as they can be a little distracting?
Please do. I'd especially like to see something about Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome... I can never get to sleep at a decent hour and am always exhausted during most of the day. But then I'm wide awake before it's reasonable to go to sleep again. And, by some miracle I do get to sleep on time, I wake up a few hours later and CANNOT get back to sleep. And this is me, in my late Thirties, who has only recently found out I've had Inattentive ADHD my whole life.
It's nice to see someone acknowledge Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome. I never see it mentioned when topics of sleep issues are discussed!
Yes, so much yes. Yesterday I was gaming with a friend up until like 2am and I was tired. Then we quit the session, I just wanted to look at another video for a couple of minutes... and suddenly I was wide awake again. Wasn't feeling tired anymore until 5am and even then it took me more than 30 minutes to fall asleep. This is so frustrating sometimes. It's not like I can do anything with that sudden burst of energy, because I'm mentally exhausted then and not motivated to do something
Yes. If I'm asleep on time, my body betrays me by waking up way too early.
@@KiraFriede Same.
Omg - are you me?!
I kinda feel like "Delayed sleep phase syndrome" is only really a sleep "disorder" because "being a morning person" is, for some reason, considered a virtue and so many jobs (and school) start early in the morning even when there's no real reason they have to. I currently work a job where I don't have to be in until noon. I can easily go to bed at 2am and get a full night's sleep before work. The downside is that it's a retail job, but being able to choose the afternoon to evening shift that works with the way I function is a huge perk.
The most annoying thing about executive disfunction and sleep is that it's so much worse when you're tired. Which means the more I need to go to bed, the HARDER it is to get to bed. Sitting there, actively tired, repeating "get up, go to bed, get out of the chair, stop looking at your phone, you're not even enjoying this you're too tired" and just feeling stuck there is the worst. Though if you have amenable friends, posting "hey I need to go to bed can you yell at me to do it" in the group chat can sometimes unstick me lol
Yes!
I wanted to comment this, thank you!
Totally agree! The entire idea of getting a "solid" eight hours of sleep is an industrial invention anyway. There's a fair amount of variation in sleep patterns across cultures and through history (e.g. siestas, "first" and "second sleep" of medieval Europe, or how classical Romans divided nights into quarters).
When I had a bit of time off and no set schedule, I tried experimenting with just letting my body sleep whenever it wanted, whether that seemed like a reasonable time or not, and I discovered that depressive thoughts absolutely spike at around eight hours of being awake. But if I can divide my sleep so that I can at least get a nap at somewhere around the six to ten hour mark, then I get a noticeable improvement in my mood while getting about the same total hours of sleep. I have no idea why, but I guess my brain needs a hard reset every eight hours or so. It's a lot harder to keep that pattern with a schedule that's set by other people, but at least I know about that now.
THIS.
I HATE that it's called a disorder. I changed my work hours, i'm sleeping from 3am to 10:30am and FINALLY FEEL RESTED. i feel better ! how is it a disorder lol my sleep schedule is just later... and in a community, in a society, that's a REALLY GOOD THING ! We need staggered sleep schedules!
my cats have variations to each other in their sleep schedules, despite being the .... i forgot word... cuspid... thingy... awake at dawn and dusk. during the day and night they have their own variations to each other, sometimes by a lot, so why on earth would we expect humans to be robotic clones of each other functioning on just one schedule??? .... their logic is more disordered than my sleep ! !!!
I've learned over the years as someone with ADHD that sometimes to get to sleep, you may need to just shift your hyperfocus from one thing to another. Sometimes on nights when I have difficulty shutting off my brain when trying to sleep, I take out my telescope and look at stars and galaxies or planets, and concentrate on trying to see what details I can pick out that night. Usually a 45-minute observing session is all I need to de-clutter my brain. The thing is, for this method to work, it has to be something that takes a lot of mental effort but is something that you enjoy. For some, it could be drawing.
The fact that this showed up at 1:46am😅😂😂
True
For me at 22:46 🤦🏻♂️😅 Rrrright before sleep.
1:06 for me :D
1:17 am...
1:21am for me.
I've always been a night owl when it came to sleep scheduling. Retirement years makes it a lot easier to deal with a 3 ~ 4 AM bedtime; though it does put me out-of-sync with the rest of the populace.
This is something that has plagued me since my teen years. Even doing decades of office work with having conventional hours didn't break me of my night owl habit.
When I was employed, 10 or 11 PM bedtime was a deadline I had to keep. But when unemployed when a 6 AM awakening was not needed, I found myself getting to bed around midnight. Weeks later it was 1 AM; then it got to be 2 AM.
In my retirement years, rarely do I get to bed prior to midnight. When I had cats and I stayed up till 3 AM, my cats loved it, as I kept the hours that were agreeable with them, as cats are predominantly nocturnal creatures.
@bloqk16 Yeah, my cat loves that I am up in the middle of the night!
Are you me from the future? Because as a fellow night owl, staying up till 3 am with bunch of my cats in retirement years sounds like my dream future 😄
Maybe your cats are your real friends!
I was once tested for sleep apnea due to restless nights. I had to go to the hospital to get wired up to take my pulse as well as record my breathing and then go home on the London Underground. I was so nervous going on public transport covered in hidden wires!
Turned out I didn't have sleep apnea and just 13 short years later, I was diagnosed with ADHD.
I just learned such an awesome trick for falling asleep! You pick a random word, then you take the first letter of that word and try to come up with as many words as you can that starts with that letter. And then you do the same with the second letter of your word. And so on and so forth. Never made it past the second letter. I have no idea why it works so well, but it’s bloody magic
Cognitive shuffling ALSO worked for me for a bit but then I got bored of it and felt like I couldn't brainstorm more words
Maybe IF I need to use it next, I will put words on random chits and choose them
But I need to keep the chits rotating every week bcuz piling chits for more than that will make the container SUPER dusty and just be awful for my nose.
This does work amazingly well. I do a slightly different version. I pick a category or subject, for example, fruits. Then go through the alphabet coming up with things in that category starting with each letter. So apple, banana, cantaloupe, date, etc. I usually pick something a bit more interesting. It's great because it gives my brain something to do, but with some guardrails that don't let it go off ruminating and worrying and such.
I have this game as well where I will think of a song for every letter of the alphabet. It made me realize why 'counting sheep' is a cliche for falling asleep (although I don't even know if anyone even does it). It's a mildly engaging activity but just engaging enough to keep your brain busy.
I heard about this method on an episode of Ologies with Allie Ward about sleep! I'd highly recommend it if you're interested in learning more about sleep (and ADHD).
@@rainbowconnectedI do it with names a lot. Or words in different languages. Or colours.
My sleep has ADHD. It continues to come up with new ways of disordered sleeping, my psychiatrist was fascinated. Sometimes I sleep great. Sometimes I randomly have a sleep disorder for two months. Then a completely different one. Then it's fine again. I think my sleep is trying to make sleep interesting.
I was undergoing treatment with a sleep disorder clinic until it became apparent that the root cause of my sleep issues was ADHD.
They discharged me after 4 years of multiple (and constantly changing) diagnoses, trialling every drug on the market, multiple diagnostic tests incl. MRI, 2 bouts of melatonin, sleep diaries, and frequent & unnecessary reminders about sleep hygiene. I think they were glad to be rid of me!
My brain won't shut up, so I have trouble sleeping. Thanks for this. ❤
It used to take me at least an hour to fall asleep. I NEVER thought listening to something to fall asleep would work. TV, music, and even white noise keep me awake so hard. However, I discovered sleep stories on the Calm app (lots on youtube too), tried them out, and suddenly I could sleep. I think it's because sleep stories are meant to take you on a visual journey, so it keeps your visual imagination engaged without giving you any plot to follow or any very exciting thoughts. So basically anything that paints a picture but isn't TOO interesting, like an audiobook you already know well. Erik Braa has a podcast called The SleepyTime Braacast that I like a lot because his voice is so calming.
Yesss I recently discovered Calm and had thought exactly the same, there's no way I can fall asleep listening to something. Even if I don't fall asleep listening to the story, I find it a lot quicker to fall asleep afterwards so have ended up going to be earlier to use the sleep stories to calm down!
For me, it's a hit or miss strategy.
If the story is too exiting, I stay awake.
If the story is too boring, I get annoyed and stay awake.
It works when it's juuuuust at the right spot between not boring and not exciting.
@@KiraFriede Yeah, it's not a 100% thing for me. I've had to turn many off and try another. The reader's voice or how slow/fast they read can bother me too. I've found about 3-4 stories that I have a lot of success with and tend to stick to them. There's one in particular that I've listened to a TON and after listening to it so many times, I'm basically powerless to it putting me right to sleep. 😄 And this is after a lifetime of not being able to sleep from like age 7 to 35+
I do something similar with music. I have a Fitbit, and in the app, there is a "Coach" page with exercise videos and other things you can just listen to. One of the pages is called Mindfulness. There, they have various categories to help you be more be more mindful of yourself. There are sections for foundational practice for learning meditation. there are also sleep meditations that help you focus on something other than berating yourself for not being able to sleep. Some are stories, some are guided meditations to help you get to sleep, and some are simply music. They vary in length. The music is soothing and relaxing. There's one that's an hour long and others around 4 minutes. One I listen to is 30 min long. Sometimes, I can get to sleep in 30 min, but then there are days when it takes longer than a half hour to get to sleep. And then I have to restart. Some sessions are sleep stories in the mix as well. There's even one meditation that helps with getting back to sleep after bad dreams. Once you find the sessions that appeal, you can add them to the "Favorites" tab so you don't have to search for them. Calm has partnered with Fitbit, so many of their sessions are also on the app.
Yeah, I need something to listen to to go to sleep, but it has to be just right. Not too boring, not too exciting. But it can vary from day to day. Something that worked yesterday might not be right today
Love this! My circadian rhythm is definitely set for "night watch" mode lol
I'd enjoy seeing a video testing or giivng opinions on products that supposedly help you sleep, like weighted blankets, sunlight lamps, etc. I'm sure we've all heard the well-meaning recommendations, but I've not seen anything looking into it from an ADHD perspective.
Oh I love this idea! Thank you!
I always joke to my family that I'm programmed to keep them safe from predators while they sleep!
Could you talk about Bedtime procrastination please? Not just ‘Revenge’ bedtime procrastination but general procrastination (I get it on days I’ve been relaxing on a beach too).
Also techniques to stop your mind spinning at night and to avoid using your phone
Psychedelics are just an exceptional mental health breakthrough. It's quite fascinating how effective they are against depression and anxiety. Saved my life.
Can you help with the reliable source I would really appreciate it. Many people talk about mushrooms and psychedelics but nobody talks about where to get them. Very hard to get a reliable s0urce here in Australia. Really need!
Yes, myco_saint. I have the same experience with anxiety, depression, PTSD and addiction and Mushrooms definitely made a huge huge difference to why am clean today.
Is he on instagram?
Yes he is. myco_saint
Microdosing helped me get out of the pit of my worst depressive episode, a three year long episode, enough to start working on my mental health.
Sleep is the struggle of my life. When i was a kid it was typical to lay in bed wide awake and finally doze when the sun came up. Just to be woken up for school shortly after. Struggle to stay awake all day, and then ten at night hits and do the struggle all over again.
Story of my life. Most of my adult life I’d struggle to sleep just to be able to finally fall asleep at the first streak of daylight.
Mid 40s and now I can’t even do that well. (Currently 7am, I’m still trying to get to sleep from last night)
That's what it likely happening with my daughter, but I don't know how to help her.
I'm 35 and that was me too so can't blame screen time for that we didn't have smart phones and tablets back then but my mum would put me to bed at 9pm and I'd still be lying awake when she came up to bed at around midnight only to then be very sluggish in the morning
@@User-qn1gs1ig4q62 right?! I'm 44... Didn't have a TV in my room until I was a teen. Just hours and hours in the dark. Although, there was reading by flashlight, even that was limited because of batteries!
@@jessicaerickson2424 same thing with my son, and to deal with it myself is one thing, to not be able to help my kid feels worse. I can relate with him, we have tried a lot of things over the years.
Thanks so much Jessica! I would really enjoy seperate videos on each different type of sleep disorder, how it is connected to ADHD (the science ;-) ) and what strategies have been clinically proven helpful for ADHDers for each different sleep disorder. And a deep dive video in general sleep difficulties, how they are connected to ADHD (the science) and again strategies that can help. That would be so cool!
I do so much better these days because I’m self employed and have the luxury of going to bed when I’m actually sleepy-somewhere between 12:30 am and 2 am usually. The delayed sleep thing is very real. Now that I can keep a schedule that conforms to what my body wants, I have no problem going to sleep or staying asleep generally. I wish this was an option for more people. I do sometimes have a problem with sleep revenge procrastination when I have too many things on my calendar as an ineffective way of trying to regain control of my schedule, but staying up too late just because you don’t want to do what you have to do is not helpful. Anyway, I do so much better with focus and all of the ADHD challenges when I can keep my natural schedule, therefore I get enough sleep consistently. I’d love to see more information on the delayed sleep thing. It is treated as a disorder, but it really isn’t if you don’t have to keep a neurotypical schedule.
Yoooo this is one major reason I want to be self employed
@@stargirl7646 SAMEEE
Goddamnit. I literally couldn't get to sleep until 3:30 on Sunday night and called out sick on Monday. I was literally angry for 2 hours while in bed staring at my screen...
Graveyard worker here. Sleep and schedule do not exist in the same sentence for me! I will say that silicone ear plugs and the Manta eye mask have been priceless to my ability to be able to sleep when I do/can.
Loving the manta sleep mask for side sleepers. ❤️ I've got to be picky about types of earplugs because of a daith piercing (got it to try to help with migraines, it didn't, but I scored major cool points with my sister, so I'll keep it), so that complicates things a bit. Considering getting the new manta sleep mask with Bluetooth integrated for sleepy podcasts tho.
Always had issues with sleep, and it only got worse when I started taking stimulants. Another impactful and helpful video, thanks, Jess!
Same, got insomnia with stimulants which nullifies the meds effects the day after a poor night of sleep
I take my Adderall in the morning and about an hour later I start yawning and can go back to sleep for an hour or two. Usually about 3 or 4 hours before bedtime I eat an edible and sleep fantastically. If not I roll around for more than an hour until I either fall asleep or just say screw it and get up lol
I'm the opposite. Slept decently for the first time ever after starting Ritalin. So, it's hard to predict. Just depends on the individual and the medication.
@Oredraven Long release or immediate release?
A really helpful video I think would be discussing strategies to help with sleep since it’s been an obstacle I’ve faced since I was young!
Sleep inertia is a good topic. It feels horrible getting out of bed.
Hyperfocusing on the back of my eyelids! 😂😂😂 I love that so much!
Your videos are the perfect blend of entertaining and educational. I’m so impressed with how accurate you are. So often there are Influencers who just spout off what they think is true like it’s fact, but you really take the time and have the research to back up your statements. ❤❤❤❤
I would love to know more about the different sleep disorders that are common with adhd and strategies to combat those and strategies for sleep and adhd in general
Actually, I usually don't watch ADHD videos anymore because I don't want to feel worse about myself, but I don't know. I just clicked on this one and it was just engaging. I was just engaged the whole way. It was a really good watch. Thank you.
I'd love to see more on sleep - I have problems with 'fake sleep' which is where I feel like I'm tired during the day, but my body refuses to sleep when I get into bed - because I'm not ACTUALLY tired! I think it's just ADHD boredom/a lack of dopamine and my brain trying desperately to fix that by going to bed!
I hate it, because my brain is desperately trying to convince myself I'm tired, when I know it's just looking for a way out from the boredom.
I have been trying to regulate my sleep schedule this fall and it's so hard! My spouse and I both work from home, so there's no specific time that I HAVE to get up. It seems like I can usually get 7-9 hours, but it's not always uninterrupted -- I often wake up between 3 and 5am (like, 1-2 times a week) and might have trouble getting back to sleep and then end up sleeping later to make up for the lost hours. It's so frustrating. I also have such a hard time with morning and evening routines. Most mornings, I just want to do the bare minimum so I can start my day -- especially if I slept later than I planned. In the evenings, I have a really hard time recognizing when it's time to get ready for bed and stopping whatever I'm doing to go do that and transition into the non-thinking part of the day. If I expose myself to any work, planning, or social related tasks in the hour before I go to bed, I feel like I have a harder time getting to sleep and am more likely to wake up in the middle of the night, probably thinking about that stuff. Gah! Sleeping is so hard! But I'm completely useless without it!
You might find it interesting to know that sleeping in two smaller chunks was the norm for human beings prior to electric lighting. Needing to get all our sleep in one uninterrupted block is a byproduct of the modern age and the work schedules that came with it.
Granted that knowledge doesn't do much to actually fix the problem, but maybe knowing that will help it feel less stressful when it happens and that will improve your sleep quality. 🙂
My main issue is getting my brain to wind down. YMMV but I noticed a definite improvement after I started taking Straterra. It hasn’t fixed the problem but I am now falling asleep within 60-90 minutes of lights out 6:20 instead of 2-3 hours+.
This is great timing considering I fell asleep near 1am last night and woke up at 4am only to not be able to fall back asleep. I've accepted my fate of tiredness for today :D I'm glad this is being addressed since I remember having trouble falling asleep for ages ever since I was little since my mind never quiets.
same. laat few days a woke up at 3~4 although having slept at 22~1 .. and then the extreme tiredness at 13~16 and the unavoidable nap between 16 and 20. It's brocken as of yet. And the goal remains.. sleeping at 23~1 and waking up at around 8. I dunno, but cant the heck get there, even after having tried so for alnost 2 years straight.
And sleep problems are rotating. it's not a fixed thing. currently it's the delayed sleep phase though and i do hope that the open window will help get it fixed enough till this sunday, because i wanna play great chess and not some tired blunderfest
I used to struggle with insomnia, but I've since taken measures to help myself sleep and now it's absolutely no trouble for me.
What I did:
1. I've stopped using my room lights, and allow things to become dark as night falls so my body doesn't think it's daytime. I instead get light through a portable lamp I can adjust the brightness of. This also has the side-benefit of cluing you in when it's late at night because everything goes dark.
2. I use a mental exercise when I'm in bed and trying to sleep, known as Cognitive Shuffle:
a. Pick an emotionally-neutral word when you're in bed and trying to sleep. It doesn't have to be the same word every time.
b. For each letter in the word, think of as many words as you can that begin with that letter and try to picture them in your head. For example, the word 'apple'. 'A' -- 'aardvark', 'ask', 'app', etc.
c. Once you can't think of any more words for a letter, move on to the next: 'P' -- 'parsnip', 'prune', 'pull', etc.
d. If you reach the end of the word and you're still awake, pick another and start the process over.
I would love to hear more from you about sleep and ADHD!! I have struggled with sleep my entire life! (All of 29 years) I would really love to hear some different ways to start a bedtime routine (I’m thinking timers/gentle sounding alarms could really help with this) and what those routines may look like for different people! Thank you so much for sharing! 💖
Yes, I would definitely LOVE more sleep videos, about sleep disorders, as well as a bunch of skills and techniques and resources and guidance on how to have better sleep overall. P.S., watching this at 5 am!
Thank you Jessica you have help my ADHD since my i known my ADHD was there im only 10 . I did project on ADHD and you have helped me and my friends with it. Thanks so much Graciexx
Insomnia was a biggie with me -- especially when I feel pressured to fall asleep. As someone with sleep apnea, I found the CPAP helpful for restful sleep, partly because the oxygen goes directly to the brain.
Yesssssssss, oxygen is so so so so so important to brain and body function. I know some people who have it but struggle sleeping with the cpap... did you find any difficulty with the cpap at all? If so what did you do to get used to it and be able to sleep? :) (If not that's cool too!)
@@HowtoADHD The CPAP takes getting used to. (Especially fitting it inside my nostrils!) But now I can't imagine sleeping without it. What a difference it makes!
However, I still have a problem with distractions, an overactive mind. When you have ADHD, you're forever fighting.
Interesting timing on this video for me. I have a sleep study consultation next week. Apparently, Obstructive Sleep Apnea has a lesser known brother called Central Sleep Apnea where your brain stops sending your lungs the signal to breathe. Like Obstructive Sleep Apnea it causes headaches, daytime sleepiness, nighttime awakeness, and brain fog. Unlike OSA, CSA does not cause snoring. You can have both kinds at once too. Eventually sleep apnea can lead to heart failure and death if left untreated. I found out about this because I had some lab work done by a hospital and they saw that I had an elevated red blood cell/hemoglobin count, which is often a symptom of sleep apnea. Apparently people with ADHD are at a higher risk of developing both types of sleep apnea.
I woke up to use the bathroom and afterward picked up the screen to see what time it was, what was the temperature, and oh let’s hear a podcast talk to help get back to sleep… and literally found this vid at 3am talking about watching vids at 3 am …
I'll sometimes wake up and my brain will just be like "Oh, it's time to get up!" And then I do and it's 1am.
Thank you for making this video and any subsequent videos on sleep. I have had problems with sleeping on a normal schedule since I was about 13 years old and did not realize until my 30s that it was a serious issue. I feel like there also is not enough attention on the wake cycle of people with ADHD. Yeah, I struggle to fall asleep and stay asleep, but also waking up and getting out of bed is a two hour ordeal. Every day. I've been struggling with this for so long (since middle school) and it seems to have only gotten worse as I have gotten older. Too often do I get asked about my sleep habits and it usually gets boiled down to "you just need better sleep hygiene" and that is such an unhelpful way to find a solution. There's a lot more going on in the ADHD brain than the general public (and often people with ADHD) realize. I have been to so many doctors over the years and still have yet to come to a solid long-term solution.
I definitely did not choose to have these sleep problems and I definitely did not choose to sleep 17 hours on average a couple years ago -- this occurred while I was unmedicated. I have been tracking my sleep for a couple years now and I can pinpoint the day that I started taking my medicine. My sleep pattern compressed from 17 hours on average of intermittent sleep to about 8 hours with few interruptions. ADHD medication certainly did help shift my sleep cycle to a more manageable and healthy pattern, but it didn't fix it completely. Falling asleep is still a challenge sometimes and waking up continues to be a monumental task. I do not feel awake and alert until about mid-afternoon and I do not get tired until about 3-4am. This has caused so much frustration and stress for me, my family, my friends, and has definitely made it way more difficult to find employment and just be an active participant in society.
I do not expect this channel to have the answers to fix my malady, but I do appreciate that this channel conjures up the discussions of the struggles that people with ADHD often face on a daily basis with resources and some tools that may help us cope. We need voices in these spaces so that we can also learn to advocate for ourselves and others that may be struggling with similar problems.
Keep up the great work! 💙
Thank you for this video on ADHD sleep struggles. Yes, strategies on how to get to bed and fall sleep and stay asleep would be so helpful.
Would love a video about sleep issues due to trouble transitioning! I feel like once I get to bed I sleep fine but the problem is stopping what I’m doing and getting up and starting my bedtime routine. I appreciate your channel!
Over the years I've come to the realisation that a large part of why I find it hard to relax in the evenings is the quiet. It makes me vigilant. If I'm going to relax properly I need the sound of human voices. Friendly, relaxed, comfortably chattering voices. Like the background chatter of a cafe. It triggers something in the back of my brain that says "everything is ok, everyone is safe. Someone else has their eyes on the perimeter, so I can close mine."
That makes so much sense. Maybe that's part of why I like ASMR so much more than just relaxing music when I'm trying to wind down. Or why I have a hard time not passing out doing gentle yoga.
I’ve been struggling with sleep recently and I think I may have delayed sleep/schedule disorder (I’m going to talk to my parents about it.) This has given me some ideas on how to solve it for now. Thank you so much! This was so helpful.
Awesome video Jessica 🙂; what about sleep paralysis? is there any correlation with ADHD?
I've been a new Mom now for 6 months, my ADHD kicks in the most at night. I would greatly appreciate more videos/ deep dives into sleep. Lately, it feels like I'm more awake when I try to sleep than I am awake. My eyes are closed, dim light coming from the hallway, feels like there is a light in my face.
You’re a gem and I shared your channel and site with my ADHD therapist!😀👍🌎🌍🌏💙🇨🇦
Hi Jess, great video as always. My partner (also an ADHD brain) has big problems with restless leg syndrome, so I would love to hear more about your experience with it and what helps you. Loved your video as always.
Seconding that request. I have RLS. It sucks. Has your partner gotten their ferritin level checked? My sleep specialist checked mine and found it was suboptimal. She told me to take an iron supplement to try to get it closer to 100 ng/ml as getting it to that level tends to help reduce symptoms. Even though my level is still on it's way to ideal, taking iron has already helped tremendously. I've actually slept through the night, which never happened before. Plus my knees stopped hurting all the time (cause I stopped kicking and locking them in my sleep). Don't take iron without having levels checked and monitored though, as it can be harmful if it isn't needed. Full spectrum CBD, 400mg magnesium glycinate and 400mg L-theanine at bedtime have been very helpful as well. Hope your partner finds some relief!
Yes! Please more videos about sleep. Learning that insomnia and sleep apnea was associated with this was so helpful for making me not feel so much like a failure or lazy because sleep was hard for me
I stayed up at 4:20 AM last night watching YT, but atleast I'm watching this at 5:49 PM today, I'm a die hard night person but would like to become a day person again!
It's 3:40 AM here in Finland right now and I'm watching YT. I have no problem falling asleep when I eventually go to bed. I have ADD.
Holy cow I’ve had the worst time staying asleep, especially with a newborn.
Please share more, your content has helped me and others in my life.
Delayed sleep phase syndrome here...the ONLY thing I've found actually gets me to fall asleep when I need to is 3-5mg of melatonin about 30 minutes before i go to bed and listening to a familiesr podcast while going to sleep. My body doesn't create melatonin at the time that it should so jumpstarting that process helps a lot. The familiar podcast give me enough input to quiet the racing thoughts, but its not interesting enough that i stay awake to listen.
Melatonin may be ok for short term use and I use it too. More than 1 to 2 months is not good.
@DigitalConfusion1 I do this with supervision from my doctor! Since the melatonin production is a verified issue it is similar to taking a stimulant medication during the day. Also as far as I've been able to find in research the main concern with taking melatonin is that it can mess with the circadian rhythm if taken at high doses, but at such a small dose and where I am intentionally trying to shift the circadian rhythm those concerns are not an issue. Please share if you've found research that indicates otherwise!
I will also add that the negative effects of sleep deprivation far outweigh any potential side effects from long term melatonin use for me. It's a risk/benefit conversation that is worth having for people who struggle with insomnia!
Holy crap, I never thought I would click on this video so fast, this is one of the things I suffer with so much.
There is one thing I'm not sure was covered or not, but please correct me if I'm wrong: I sometimes suffer from my mind occasionally racing or spiraling when I'm trying to sleep. Like, I've winded down, I've turned down my phone's brightness to the lowest possible setting, I have white noise playing, I took my sleep aid, all of the step I'd take on a daily basis to make sure I get some shut eye. Unfortunately, there are nights where I have a barrage of thoughts hit me, almost like my mind is having a loud conversation with itself, and I just can't find the moment to just ease my mind and rest. Sometimes it gets so severe that I would lay down by 12 or 1a, but don't actually clear the buffer until somewhere around 5am because thoughts wanted to go brrr for some apparent reason.
I don't know who else deals with this, but I just wanted to share this with you because it is one of the common things that would bother me, and I wonder if this is one of those things where my adhd brain somehow came with RNG for brainstorming ideas and thoughts. ^^;
For me it helps to stick to a strict sleep schedule, to actually do stuff during the day and make sure there aren't any things I need to think about anymore. For that last point I make sure I have done stuff that might weigh on my mind and to migrate things off my list to other days when I didn't get around to everything.
It doesn't always work, but it has drastically improved my quality of life.
I've had so many issues with sleeping, and then once I got on my meds it started to get much better and if I don't take my meds i'm tired at 1pm in the afternoon. I would like to learn more about it, I had always thought I had sleep apnea, and I learned I prob have restless leg syndrome thanks to this video. I love these videos so much and I appreiciate the effort you put into them. I can't get enough of you're channel! from a Fellow ADHDer!
I would love to hear about strategies for sleep and staying awake when you have a job that requires starting at 8:30 or 9am regularly - I struggle HARD with jobs that start early because of my sleep pattern being off and hearing about some strategies would be so useful!!!
Also, this video was SO validating!!! Hearing about these disorders really helped put into words some of the things I’ve been struggling with since I was 11 or 12. So thank you so much for making this video! You do great work :)
I have a sleep study in just a couple weeks, so yesss for more videos on this! I only have a vague idea of sleep disorders, and it's always hard to articular to doctors that "tired" is not "sleepy". I'm tired all the time, even right when I wake up, but I'm not about to fall asleep when I'm talking to someone. I'm not *sleepy*, I'm so mentally exhausted from using my brain that I'm *tired* because I feel like my brain has been running on fumes for years and not even sleeping is enough to rest my brain and recover.
But yeah I can definitely take a nap in the middle of the day, if I am allowed to sneak off to a quiet room and I am not stimulated by anything and I'm able to hide under covers in the dark. Which is a useful thing, given migraines are also a common occurrence for me. We love migraines and sleep issues going hand in hand, and adhd and sleep issues going hand in hand...
OMG the tired and exhausted but not sleepy thing. . . that was my life for years.
(Maybe take a look into MCAS? That was the problem for me, it's more common with ADHDers, and if you have migraines it makes me extra suspicious.)
@@lyndabethcave3835 Ooo? I've never heard of that. Time to check it out! Thanks!
I feel kind of guilty that I can only watch your videos at 2x speed and skip through the ad, but I still really appreciate your content and how it helps me deal with stuff, 100%.
I have sleep anxiety, don't know if it's related to my ADHD, but it probably is since part of the whole anxiety is that I know my brain won't shut up when I'm trying to sleep. So I end up not even trying. This on top of my other illnesses keeps me up many nights, including tonight (it's currently 3:30 and I can't bring myself to try and sleep).
Thanks for another great video to keep me company in the night ☺️
Thank you for this video! Yes. Please more sleep information.
I started working (at Walmart) a couple of months ago. Sleep has been one of the biggest problems (even when I manage to get to bed "on time" to wake up at a "reasonable" hour FOR work).
Yes please! Restless leg is my thing, and for me acupuncture works! But I'd love to get tips and tricks. Even just hearing that it's not me helped...I have never seen a major difference between screens vs no screens, so I'm glad to hear I'm not crazy.
My anxiety *always* kicks up at bedtime. I'll be fine, lay down to get to sleep, and BAM! anxiety. ASMR videos help me so much by giving my brain something to focus on. I also set my phone to turn on the blue light filter at least an hour before I normally go to bed.
Anecdotal Information FWIW: Adult (44m), severe ADHD-c. I will swing back and forth between be capable of sleeping 12+ hours easily and getting 2hours max with most of the time in bed staring at a wall listening to my brain go full speed. Diagnosed with off-the-charts sleep apnea (after a vacation with friends where my room buddy said he was regularly worried that i had just stopped breathing altogether) the CPAP helps out a lot. If i DO manage to go to sleep and gte to the deep stages, im not awoken by my lack of working lungs.
Man I'd love some sort of regularity in my sleep. but alas, its just the price i pay for this particular superpower i suppose. Sweet Dreams fellow Brains
Yes, please. More sleep videos. I had to switch to working the night shift just so that I could be awake while I'm at work. Its an extreme example, but it was the only thing I've done that worked.
Some stuff that helps me:
1. For racing thoughts/hyperfixation/overstimulation: I try not to be in any voice chat shortly before sleep, lights out even if my devices aren't. I put on something like a lore video or podcast I don't mind missing the details of and try to pay attention to the words rather than my thoughts. Focusing makes me tired and I fall asleep!
2. Sleep paralysis/demons: Weighted blankets or being sandwiched by pillows. I dunno why but it helps.
Stuff I struggle with:
Bedtime routine? who dat lol
When I have my partner around, them going to do it is a cue for me to do it but I don't have one when they're not around aside from the above + PJs.
Please do a video on each disorder!! I struggle with multiple.
Yes please - more videos about ADHD and sleep! Thank you!!
I learned today about Intrusive Sleep which apparently is common in ADHDers and happens when your nervous system disengages abruptly! It’s when intense drowsiness and sleepiness show up after losing interest in an activity 🤯 would be awesome if you could talk a little bit about this one!
@@adriserrano oh wow... That was not on my radar but I feel so much truth to that!
My baffling disorder is not falling asleep, but staying asleep. I will go to bed without problem then wake up 5 hours later too restless to fall back asleep then I'm just restless for the rest of the day.
Hello, Brains & Hearts!
I recently discovered I have ADHD and my friend introduced me to your channel! I just love your videos and I'm so glad I subscribed!
Awesome now what's the button to share this with all the doctors in the US who think my ADHD is just my lack of sleep and not the other way around?
seeing this at 4am is very on the nose lol
I'd love to know some practical strategies for getting to sleep!!
Sure I will soon buy your book. Your work helped me a lot
This is so helpful, this channel is a lifeline 🥰
Oh, I needed this. I struggle with revenge bedtime procrastination (is that what it's called?) because I work all day, starting at 4 am, and then care for my dying mother until she goes to bed at 9 pm, so I don't wanna go to bed until I enjoy myself. Why did I just info dump all that?
For restless leg syndrome I recently discovered cold showers. When my legs go crazy and I can't sleep I go shower my legs with the coldest water possible. At first my nervous system is shocked but when I go back to bed, my legs are calm and I can sleep
COLD SHOWERS ACTUALLY MOTIVATE ME TO….DO THINGS! Sometimes it still fails, but most of the time it WORKS! (Relieves anxiety too!)
AuDHD here. After my first cold shower, I started writing color coded to-do lists and since then I’ve been checking the items off. (Slower than a neurotypical would, but they ARE getting done!) It’s been 4 months of cold showers and I can’t believe they’re still working.
I was telling my friends about it and they were like “wow, it sounds like how I feel when I take my ADHD meds”
Another boost is that cold showers have INCREASED my already super-active imagination and my creativity, as well as my drive to sit down and write, draw, take notes, research.
This is great because actual ADHD medication heightens my Autistic traits so much that I feel like a different person. It also kills my creativity and my love of music which is sad. (Don’t need the dopamine anymore I guess 😢) I had to get off meds.
But yeah, cold showers are a freakin’ miracle. My nervous system has never been happier. I also sleep better at night! (Though still go to sleep at 2am)
👍👍 I'm constantly tired but often can't get to sleep or stay asleep 👍😭 Insomnia sucks but it doesn't usually stay unbearable for very long, eventually you'll get through the worst of it 💛👍!
Yeah, it can be a cycle for some people! If it doesn't cycles or it cycles too slowly deeeeefinitely talk to our dooooctor. But if it's manageable, woooooo! Cool! yay!
I found out, after years of drinking coffee and sodas, that I am a slow metabolizer of caffeine. It takes 10-12 hours for any caffeine to process through us who have the genetics for slow metabolizing of caffeine.
SO I tried de-caffeinated coffee and, after finding some good ones (some are AWFUL) I now enjoy coffee most days and have almost ZERO insomnia. I also now have less nighttime trips to the bathroom. I often only get up once in the night without caffeine consumption. IF I find myself awake too late now, it's almost always because I had some form of caffeine that day, even dark chocolate(!). So sometimes I have some chocolate, but never when I don't have some nap time built into the next day (not working). I'm 58.
We need more sleep videos! I myself got delayed sleep syndrome and excessive daytime sleepiness. And they (almost) seem to be disconnected from each other.
My RLS went away after I sobered up. No judgment, just a thought to those who drink.
Yes! Please do talk more about this topic. Thanks!
Yaaas more sleep videos please 🫠 I was surprised as well to hear more about it in your book than your channel 🙂
Hello mom of the brains! Could you please do videos on *all* of the mentioned sleep-related things? And have an invited talk from your fabulous AuDHD partner about sleep problems for AuDHDers (like me) too? And what to do about it? (Techniques, meds, anything that helps.) That would really hit the spot for me. Thank you, MOTB! 😊
Excellent suggestion! I too would love to see that video as I've been learning more and more that the standard sleep advice is practically useless for my AuDHD brain.
Yes please, I REALLY need it right now...
Always wanting to know more about ADHD and all the little things it does.
I went to bed without having some random video in the background. I guess that's why I am watching this video right now with no hope of falling asleep. It's going to be a great productive day today!
Good video Jessica.
Have you tried taking magnesium to see if that will alleviate the restless leg syndrome?
Whenever I have that problem it typically comes after I haven't take magnesium for too long of a time, so I try to make sure I take it everyday.
A side note, if you decide to try it, look for Magnesium Glycinate, it's the easiest for the body to absorb.
I've decided that in 2025, I'm going to focus on healing my Microbiome.
A lot of stuff can mess up your gut health which can then lead to a nutritional deficiency.
Love this topic. I'm interested in hearing more about the delayed circadian rhythms or even alternative takes on "If I don't go to sleep at 10 pm and wake with the rising sun, I'm a bad person". I feel like a lot of sleep hygiene advice is riddled with toxic productivity and hypercapitalist viewpoints. I personally feel like it's unrealistic to expect of ourselves to have a perfect nightime routine every day! Like I have my ideal routine but don't do it every day and that's totally okay.
0:10 2 13 in the morning but close enough.
You are from India, right 😅
Me to watching this at 2:16
@dhruba5849 yea 😂
@@peterparker1262 Can't sleep bro.... waiting for the sun then I can sleep and I have to go for work tomorrow morning so best of luck to me 😂😅
And Good Night 👍
@@dhruba5849 goodluck dude, hopefully everyone goes alright at work.
@@dhruba5849goodluck dude, hoping everything goes alright at work.
Thank you for this video. I have many troubles which u can probably relate to. A few of these relate to me and I will look more into them. Exited for part 2
Honestly, better sleep is what helped me the most, so I was surprised you didn’t have much to say about that until now. Finally its here 🎉
A video on strategies for getting and staying asleep would be super helpful @HowtoADHD
Thanks for the videos!
It's nearly 5 AM and I haven't slept yet. Feels like this video is a reminder that I'm supposed to sleep. I'll need to watch it in the morning.
Funny that this uploaded the night I had a random bout of insomnia. 😅 I'm an outlier as an ADHDer: an early bird. Insomnia is especially fun because I usually don't get to fall asleep until 30 minutes to 2 hours before I naturally wake up again. I'd love to hear more on my biggest sleep issue: I'm exhausted and ready to sleep, brain is nice and quiet, caffeine is out of my system, but I still feel stimulated and can't turn off "work mode" so I can finally get to sleep. It's like a computer that refuses to power down that you can't unplug.
I had huge troubles in waking up in the morning, then I got prescribed the vitamine B12 supplements (vegetarian) and it got a lot better.
Then I got my official ADHD diagnosis and the stimulants are great but caused me insomnia or bad quality sleep so I have to skip meds every other day.
My body shape and health worsened a lot during the pandemic and I believe that's why the stimulants accumulates over time in my body (and fat), in fact if I do some exercise after lunch I can experience the crash in the evening (which is a good thing) and have a higher quality sleep to have the full meds effect and avoid skipping 2 days in a row.
Still very unfortunate not being able to take meds every day, but yea I need to work on my physical health I guess which is a good thing in general
Edit: And after a poor quality sleep, if I take the meds in the morning they do absolutely nothing, zero effect
Interesting. I think they accumulate with me as well. I tried to tell my doc, but she seemed to not believe me and told me they don't stay in the system that long. But it kept getting worse and worse and additionally began disturbing my moods, so I stopped meds altogether. The meds would help IF I could sleep on them, but without sleep there's nothing that cuts through. I'd rather sleep and struggle with ADHD than not sleep and struggle with ADHD lol.
@tiptapkey Yeah it's a real struggle, my advice are: 1 take care of your digestive system, 2 try to do some workout, 3 Make sure the temperature, light, noise, etc. are minimized during sleep.
Also, you may try different brands of meds, both long release and immediate release or even the non-stimulants.
You may also eventually look for a psychiatrist change because that lack of trust and respect is a very bad sign
I saw this at 2:50am. That's when I realized I really really need the sleep. So I watched it two days later. Thanks!
Could I please request a video on sleep apnea + ADHD specifically?
Thank you! For me personally this video is very timely. A potential topic could be how to discuss ADHD and sleep issues with medical professionals? I've spent thousands on specialists this year for fatigue and not one has referred me to a sleep study!! They don't want to investigate/diagnose (which would be helpful), only medicate over and over.
That sounds super frustrating. Sorry if this seems obvious, but have you outright requested a referral? It seems odd they wouldn't give you one, especially since it sounds like you're paying out of pocket to see them. If you have a good relationship with your primary care provider, I would let them know how much the sleep problems are affecting your health and just ask for a sleep study, even an at home one. Do you know if you snore or stop breathing in your sleep? They should be testing you regardless, but I think that if they hear that, it will help your cause. That's what got me one. I hope you get the help you need figuring this out!
P.S. If you don't know if you snore or stop breathing, there's a free app called SnoreDoctor designed by an ear nose and throat specialist. It records any snoring or apneas that occur while you're asleep and tells you a few other things about your sleep as well. Kind of like an extremely light version of a sleep study.
As someone with adhd and extreme night terrors i would love to see a video on that, as none of the doctors i talked to seem to know why i have these or where they come from
Yes, please. One of my bigger challenges is Reverse Bedtime Procrastination. I managed to organize my work and life around my delayed circadian rhythm, but when I'm tired after a busy day, I always fall for this trap.
Another thing I feel like is definitely not talked about enough is stimulants and sleep. There are brains who struggle with falling asleep because of the radio in the head, and take meds to turn down the volume of their thoughts, which helps them to fall asleep. It's almost impossible to find information on how it affects the sleep and how good or bad idea it actually is. Only my second psychiatrist explained to me that stimulants worsen the quality of sleep, so we wake up less regenerated. Similar case as going to sleep drunk, though I don't remember the details he told me. I really would like to see this topic clearly explained.
Strategies that can help with sleep would be lovely! 💖
I have your book in both digital and audio, so I can enjoy it wherever I am.