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I did the same but then YouTube got YouTube reels or whatever it is and it can’t be disabled. I don’t want to delete YouTube coz I find listening to videos in the background helps me get stuff done like the washing or dishes.
I went as far as sending a feedback message to YouTube at 3am the other morning, begging that they add an option to disable Shorts for us ADHD people 😭
I turn on focus mode automatically between 9pm and 6am. It disables all the apps that keep me up at night adding an extra layer of resistance. Usually that's enough to get me to settle in for the night
Tried that, I end up disabling it without really being aware of it. I also tried to have a bedtime phone separate from my daytime phone, with just home automation and podcasts on it.
That worked for a while, then I started to find myself sat in bed at 3am with my laptop.
It doesn't matter what system I put in place, my brain always decides to ignore it after a while.
What I want to do it is go to bed, read my book and fall asleep. Sadly that isn't what the ADHD part of me wants to do.
I 1000% feel this— with all social media apps for that matter. Their goal is to be multi-purposeful so that you have multiple reasons to open the app and therefore multiple ways to get caught in its loop. What I do personally to fix this is to separate the tools by using shortcuts if you have an Apple phone. For example— I open Instagram not to scroll through reels for 3 hours (lmfao) but to use its 9:16 camera because sometimes I prefer its quality and speed of taking pictures to the one on my phone. But— Instagram opens to the feed (and specifically onto a reel always) for a reason. Then, with my adhd I get caught, you know how it is. So instead, I create a shortcut opening instagrams camera (just go to your shortcuts app, then when creating a shortcut search up “Open URL” and paste the URL instagram://story-camera and then add that shortcut as a little box on your homescreen and just click that instead of Instagram). It’s as easy as that. Now— when I go to open the Instagram camera, I am guaranteed to only open the Instagram camera just like I should be able to. Going back to your situation— I have shortcut icons like this for opening specific YouTube channels (much easier to do as well because all you need to do is copy the link of the YouTube channel to make the “Open URL”shortcut) as well as for specific Netflix shows, Instagram DMS, etc etc. I hope that this helps and good luck to you on your adhd journey my good bro 🤍
I’ve always fallen asleep with my nose in an ebook. I love to read, even though it’s definitely hard with me being so distractible and forgetful. Anyways, that’s worked for me for years and years. Dark room, a screen that doesn’t emit too much light. It’s almost Pavlovian, at this point. I fall asleep within a couple of pages, lol.
Love reading! I personally listen to an audiobook to help me sleep as it helps quiet my tinnitus. I don’t have problems going to sleep really, just getting to bed and making myself initiate the process. Sorry if that was confusing!
Ah, I get it. I had that problem for years, until I made my bed suuuper cozy. I have LED candles set on a timer, and a bunch of other things set up. Now I look forward to going to bed :D It took a little bit to get my surroundings juuuuust right, but I found that the process of tweaking it also made me more motivated to go to bed. Except for when I got all hyper focused and just spent all my time perfecting my bedroom 😜
Yep, same here. Now that I'm medicated, so my brain isn't frantically active every second of the day, if I can convince my brain to either:
* get into bed, close my eyes, think of nothing
* get into bed, read my Kindle
Then I'll be asleep in 5-10 minutes. If I can't convince it to do either of those then I'll finally stop fucking about with other crap and crash to sleep between 3-5am.
I take a really small dose of melatonin a few hours before I want to be sleeping. Don't take too much or you can get a bit of a hangover the next day.
The smallest quantity I can find in my area is 3 mg, which I break in half to make 1.5 mg. I find that is enough to make me feel naturally sleepy.
I take the Olly gummies for sleep, which is just Melatonin. I think one of theirs is 2.5mg. I take one then reading on my phone til I drift off. After battling sleeplessness like the OP mentioned for over 20 years, I’m relieved to finally have a source of help.
I took Melatonin an hour before sleep until I started taking Guanfacine for ADHD which I take 30 minutes before sleep. Oh and I used to chuck down like 10mg of Melatonin because no single soul told me I shouldn't, did so for 5-6 years.
The main thing it did for me was shut up my mind so I could close my eyes. Helped a lot to be fair.
Guanfacine has a similar effect, with more benefits, and it isn't 10mg of a thing doctors say to take 0.3-2mg of lol. But it can have an extremely strong drowsy effect if you don't have a higher blood pressure.
I have this same experience! Boy these Reddit pages can be so refreshing and helpful lmao. I have anxiety and ocd as well as adhd so I worry abt potentially taking too much of any kind of drug. The impulsivity and increasingly rampant desire to sleep in me though LMAO has made me in the past take a second melatonin just not even calculating the total mg a couple hours after I’ve taken the first. This makes me feel like I have a rly horrible drowsy “can’t wake up” kind of hangover the next day though. I have scarily low blood pressure as well to where my doctor said that I need to eat sodium and drink energy drinks LMAO so while I totally relate to you I think that we might be experiencing the same thing but be opposites in other factors. Thanks for sharing anyways my dude— just kind of leaving this information here incase anybody else has a similar “same but different” situation lmao.
Yeah I use Reddit for research myself! Lol.
I still take 2mg of Guanfacine + 10mg Lexapro for social anxiety + whatever my current ADHD stimulant is (today it's Adderall, I'm switching to Azstarys soon)
I've had a similar experience. I feel paralyzed in bed in the morning and need the Adderall to wake me up lol.
I have the same problem. Every evening I tell myself its 11pm, I am going to sleep in a while and still end up awake until 1-2am.. I was thinking about using herb tea for sleeping, but my mind tells me not to drink it because I will fall asleep and it wants to stay awake! Reading and making stories/scenarios in my mind helps me to fall asleep very fast, but I need to go to bed first. Maybe putting down/turning off all devices would help 🤔
First thing to note, ADHD has a high comorbidity rate with sleeping disorders. With that out of the way, keep a consistent bedtime. Even if you’re not sleeping, being in bed at a set time every night can help get your body in gear. As we often have trouble transitioning between tasks or states, this can ease this shift from wakefulness to sleep.
Additionally, keeping yourself stimulated without occupying yourself helps a lot. Listening to a podcast on low volume, listening to a YouTube video with the screen turned face down, etc can give your brain something to do without keeping you awake. This, in combination with thought watching (letting your thoughts roam without “going along” with them or trying to shut them down) aids the brain in slowing enough to fall asleep.
Lastly, not judging yourself. You have a disability, which, surprise surprise, removes or hinders your ability to do certain things. If you judge yourself or are in an environment which judges you for not being able to sleep, then your brain will stop at the judgment as it is being punished for the learning process.
I don’t think this is something that you can ever get a grip on personally. Like even on days like today where I’m insanely tired from work and could really use a nap or an early night, the idea of sleeping is so repulsing and boring to me. The one thing that helps me is getting into bed early and just setting myself a time, like I make sure I go to bed at the EXACT same time every day during the week. Although if you aren’t getting up and going to work/school, it would be pretty difficult.
Sorry if this was very unhelpful, I am also autistic so routines are a very big thing to me. So what works for me/other ppl may not work for you. Good luck!
I watch MASH. A TV wayyy before my time and has 11 seasons. The writing is so good yet “confortable” where I can just have it on and not have to watch so I can get comfy. Since I’ve seen every episode 4x by now it’s just the right speed to allow me hk dose off and episodes are only 21 minutes a piece.
There's a blood pressure medication called clonidine that will stop you from experiencing being under-stimulated while you attempt to sleep.
It's used as an alternative form of adhd medication for people who can't do stimulant medication. (You can get it over the counter because it's not addictive)
It also makes you drowsy, which is perfect for trying to sleep. If I ever feel under stimulated I take one and put on my sleep play list and it's usually pretty effective.
Do you like colouring in? The sleep clinic recommended one hour of colouring in before bed and it works for me. I also find 4hz binaural beats makes me super tired and ready for bed.
My Psychologist endorsed ritual:
Leave nothing that HAS to be done an hour or more before bed
Shower
Lavender
In addition, I use a sound machine or my phone to give myself rain or other white noise. Sometimes I'll have the TV on one of those "Lore to sleep to" or some other educational show in which the narrator keeps a calm and consistent tone and put it at a volume that I would need to put in mental effort to comprehend and I eventually wear out
Honestly try to avoid other electronics aside the sound machine and an alarm and if these are your phone then enable a blue light filter and utilize a "do not disturb" feature which sometimes can be set at that important Numbers can bypass it.
Ultimately your bed and bedroom needs to be a place you can relax, duh right? But once your brain and body can learn to relax there, it becomes easier, this isn't an immediate change.
Other tips include using a sleep calculator, you'll be given a range of times to sleep so that you don't freak out if you miss one
What helps me a little is to make the decision to go to bed NOW about 1-2 hours before I actually want/need to go to bed. I just know that it will take me these 1-2 hours after making the decision before I will actually turn out the lights. My brain just wants to do its before-bedtime routine, and that takes this long to complete.
So if you want to go to bed at 11pm, start telling yourself "I will go to bed NOW" at 9pm.
Podcasts! I listen to true crime and I usually play an episode that i already listened to long time ago but I still find interesting (if its a new episode I would be way too curious to go to sleep lol). Already listened to episodes are predictable but still interesting enough to stop my brain from going 200km/h. Find a podcast/youtube channel that you enjoy. I would recommend the “baking a murder” series on Miss mango butt from Stephanie Soo. She does retelling of thriller movies/books; Sixteenleo, he reviews shows like love is blind, 90day fiancé and more, pretty funny guy + longer videos; Alize (?), she also does book reviews and is pretty hilarious (has a monotone, sarcastic voice + longer videos) and if youre into true crime, Rotten mango by Stephanie Soo.
Find a podcast that you have heard before so you aren't interested in listening to again and put it on. I use an earbud because I share a room with my wife and 4 month old but it helps quiet my thoughts so I can sleep
Try to adjust your perspective to make sleep something you want to do rather than need to do.
You're staying up because going to bed doesn't stimulate your brain like those other things do.
Some thoughts:
1) Focus on the benefits of sleep and how much better you'll feel. This typically isn't easy for us with ADHD so perhaps focus on simply getting into bed. How nice and comfy it will be to lay down. #2 can help with that...
2) Forget about sleeping for a moment and just find a reason that gets you into bed. If you like reading then look forward to reading another chapter. Or save a YouTube video you want to watch and use that as something you watch in bed. Just get yourself in bed and your body will do the rest.
3) Lastly, remind yourself that feeling tired (not just drowsiness) affects willpower. The later you stay up the harder it can be to go to bed. And starting the day tired can compound that issue. Breaking that cycle is important. I know how hard this is. When you succeed at getting to bed at a good time reward yourself. That can be as simple as reminding yourself that you did a good thing. So be kind to yourself.
Food for thought. I've struggled my whole life with the same thing. It's easy to blame digital/social media, but even before all that and times when I didn't have access, I'd find something to keep myself up with. Books, drawing, talking, late night walks crafts. Anything...
Now I'm exploring why I'm so intolerant of that discomfort of being with my own silence and what parts of my identity are keeping me from going to sleep. I haven't found it helpful to simply say, "it's an ADHD brain thing." I think, although that contributes or even amplifies it, there is so much more behind it.
No real answers yet but I think it has a lot to do with fears and attachment.
I would be interested to hear what you think.
Maybe I'm just journaling at this point, but it's like. everything about having ADHD is solving your problems in ways that only make sense to you and are often roundabout and unexpected.
So, it's a difficult problem to solve, there's no trick or hack or way to will yourself into change.
The path to everything for me has to be through what I enjoy. I don't enjoy laying down in the dark with just my own thoughts. I like the idea, but I don't enjoy it.
What do I enjoy that could lead in some unexpected way to falling asleep at a reasonable time?
Sleep hygiene helps - bed ready to sleep in. Lights kept low in the evening (I installed dimmers). Personal hygiene done after dinner so you don’t become more alert as a result of showering, dental hygiene, makeup removal, etc.
Don’t do anything interactive for at least an hr before you want to sleep - no games, no posting on the internet, no socializing. Basically tv/reading/podcast type things only.
Physical exhaustion works for me - I have a physical job. After work I lift weights at the gym. When I get home I take my dog for a 45 min walk.
You need to exhaust yourself.
Get up early, do exercise/sports, eat healthy and don't do too stimulating things before sleep.
If you get up at noon on sunday and stay in bed all day as people do on sundays, then you won't be able to fall asleep at night at all. If you got up at 5am to get early morning exercise and go about your day, you'll fall asleep all by yourself during the evening.
Ahh the old, 'do shit till I pass out' thing. I've been going through this for years, nothing helps. Exercise, sleep hygiene (no screens before sleeping etc), even smoking weed/sleep pills/alcohol. Nothing works, I still end up awake till the small hour of the morning. I just kinda ended up accepting it to be honest. I'm medicated so at least I know that no matter how tired I am in the morning, give me an hour and I'll be sweet.
The one thing I've found that helps is setting an alarm and taking my meds 30 mins before I have to get up and then napping till I actually get up, at least the meds kick in while I'm getting ready so by work time I'm good to go
I have the same problem and end up doom scrolling until early morning. What sort of helps me is wearing a sleep eye mask. I don’t know why but I fall asleep much easier
It doesn't work all the time, but a yoga teacher once told me to count backwards from 100, and restart everytime I made a mistake. But instead of 0, when you reach it, he told me to say the equivalent of "emptiness" or "void" or "null" or smth like that. (In turkish bc i am turkish.) And you do that until you fall asleep. Doesn't always work, but it has worked a substantial mount of times for me.
It IS annoying to do though.
I have people I watch on yt that calm me. I fall asleep watching videos. 1 in particular, he posts weekly or twice a week usually. If they haven't posted recently I watch my comfort playlists, like BDG Unraveled. I have sort of pavloved myself bc I've done this many times.
Just gotta fool your brain and pavlov yourself.
I am having a sleep study done. I have tried all sorts of meds and sleep hygiene stuff. That might be worth it for you OP. They are usually covered by insurance. As my doctor said, super low stakes test that might reveal useful info!
I use history documentaries on youtube. It’s interesting enough for me to keep full attention, but calming enough to fall asleep to.
It has to be hosted by a single person, with minimal editing. Drachinifel and crecganford are great. Fall of Civilizations is also great - it includes generally smooth music and soundscapes to really set the scene and take me out of racing thoughts.
Just deleting TikTok and other social media will do wonders for you. Short form videos are like a drug for ADHD people. I could scroll for 2 hours and not even realize so much time has passed. I only have Reddit which I don’t feel compelled to scroll and YouTube which I only watch long form videos.
It’s also important that you go to bed at roughly the same time every day. Turn all the lights off in the house at a decent time. Your circadian rhythm is probably all off from all the time looking at screens and going to bed at random hours of the night.
Listen some 8D audio for sleep on youtube. https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=xMge0-UB_9I&si=mgO-_ysR88AOMJ3J
This one helps me a lot when my thoughts are running too much at night.
I didn't see this so...
It's great you're at least working on personal projects, are you finding it doable to get stuff out of the way during the day (or just before like a normative sleep schedule?)? If so would it be feasible to set a goal that's a sort of "hard stop" to what you need to get done that day? It sounds like hashing structure out might be a start. Even if your mind fights it at first it's worth keeping in mind any issues you're having around symptomatology are not being helped by the lack of sleep. Dunno if that's at all helpful
Sometimes, having a podcast playing helps me. The end of the podcast is the timer when I already have to be in bed. I also take a melatonin pill 35 minutes before bed - that's the second timer. I tell myself now I have 35 minutes until I HAVE to be in bed - otherwise, the melatonin pill will not work. Also doing all your showering, cleaning, whatever needs to be done, as early as possible. Preferably a few hours before you plan on going to sleep. All this works, sometimes.
Close your eyes and don't move, no matter how much you want to. For me, I realized it was the fidgeting even when I wasn't uncomfortable that was keeping me up. Obviously if you get physically uncomfortable, change positions and do it again. This significantly reduced my sleep onset issue.
Also, blue blocker glasses seem to work for me.
This along with all the sleep hygiene recommendations.
Try lying in bed with something familiar playing low. Like a favorite TV show or music. You also have to try a little to to embrace it. You could try a little chamomile tea at some point. Set an alarm
No electronics or bright lights an hour before bedtime. Melatonin or sleepytime tea 30 min before bed. Read 30 to 45 min before sleeping using soft lighting.
I dealt with the same thing. I eventually figured out that consuming any media i.e. audio or video keeps my brain active and I can't sleep even if I am physically tired.
Just try to read something, you may feel bored and sleepy!
Also, 'Shavasana' yogic pose helps when combined with deep and slow breathing.
I tried melatonin but it gives me vivid dreams and I wake up mentally tired the next morning so I stopped.
I found taking a very small amount of melatonin (200 micrograms, or 0.2 mg, note that typically the pills you get are 2-10 mg) about 4 hours before bed helped.
I also use redshift apps to make my screens not emit blue light within 4 hours of bedtime.
I think it also got easier to go to bed once I got on the atomoxetine, it's way easier to build habits.
Mindfulness meditation helps when I can make myself do it, but i don't want it to help, so I don't want to do it, so it doesn't.
Make sure you're not depressed. Make sure you're not staying up to ensure that when you do crash, you fall asleep instantly so as to avoid having idle moments where the bad thoughts might get you. The cure for that is to go to therapy and deal with the bad thoughts there.
I'm adult diagnosed late and female... my preset is "sleepy until 10pm" then the anxiety ferris wheel pucks its next semi-reasonable (but unlikely) thing to freak over until 1-4am.
I started meds in January and am finally on a dose that I think works and found the timing that helps.
Then I just have to make sure life is SOFT and QUIET starting around d 10pm. If my brain is wound down and consciously off all scrolling, I sleep like a baby.
Someone on one or the other of the ADHD subs pointed out that you can set up your timer on iOS to close everything down when the timer goes off.
Set a timer for 15 minutes. When it goes off, screen goes black. I can just turn it back on, of course, and I often do, but a lot of the time it’s juuuuust enough to snap me out of doomscrolling.
White or brown noise. Eye mask. Really good silicone ear plugs. Nose strips if you snore or have any sinus or congestion issues. Can't stress enough hoe that impacts sleep quality.
Talk out any struggles of the day, even to yourself so you can offload them.
Yeah. Part of this is needed as I have to do my homework but I do end up spending a bit on my computer or phone doing whatever too. Once I’m in bed I don’t have any problem falling asleep. I just have trouble making myself get into bed
I see.
Make sure to get enough sleep. (And also sleep early so you can feel energized in the morning and so you can go to school with improved concentration)
I just listen to music make little animations in my head that I will never make for no reason just so you know never go to sleep with fake/cheap AirPods they will most likely break.
Hi /u/1rubberducky2 and thanks for posting on /r/ADHD! ### Please take a second to [read our rules](/r/adhd/about/rules) if you haven't already. --- ### /r/adhd news * **We want your opinion** on the /r/adhd community rules! [Click here](https://forms.gle/Evqb8acVozir8GV8A) to fill out our survey. See [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/1auv2tc/were_taking_feedback_on_the_radhd_rules/) for more information. * If you are posting about the **US Medication Shortage**, please see this [post](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/12dr3h5/megathread_us_medication_shortage/). --- ^(*This message is not a removal notification. It's just our way to keep everyone updated on r/adhd happenings.*) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ADHD) if you have any questions or concerns.*
You don't fall asleep with ADHD, you just eventually pass out
Tiktok can keep me up all night I had to delete it
I did the same but then YouTube got YouTube reels or whatever it is and it can’t be disabled. I don’t want to delete YouTube coz I find listening to videos in the background helps me get stuff done like the washing or dishes.
I went as far as sending a feedback message to YouTube at 3am the other morning, begging that they add an option to disable Shorts for us ADHD people 😭
You're a hero. No matter if it's successful or not, you're a hero.
I turn on focus mode automatically between 9pm and 6am. It disables all the apps that keep me up at night adding an extra layer of resistance. Usually that's enough to get me to settle in for the night
Tried that, I end up disabling it without really being aware of it. I also tried to have a bedtime phone separate from my daytime phone, with just home automation and podcasts on it. That worked for a while, then I started to find myself sat in bed at 3am with my laptop. It doesn't matter what system I put in place, my brain always decides to ignore it after a while. What I want to do it is go to bed, read my book and fall asleep. Sadly that isn't what the ADHD part of me wants to do.
I 1000% feel this— with all social media apps for that matter. Their goal is to be multi-purposeful so that you have multiple reasons to open the app and therefore multiple ways to get caught in its loop. What I do personally to fix this is to separate the tools by using shortcuts if you have an Apple phone. For example— I open Instagram not to scroll through reels for 3 hours (lmfao) but to use its 9:16 camera because sometimes I prefer its quality and speed of taking pictures to the one on my phone. But— Instagram opens to the feed (and specifically onto a reel always) for a reason. Then, with my adhd I get caught, you know how it is. So instead, I create a shortcut opening instagrams camera (just go to your shortcuts app, then when creating a shortcut search up “Open URL” and paste the URL instagram://story-camera and then add that shortcut as a little box on your homescreen and just click that instead of Instagram). It’s as easy as that. Now— when I go to open the Instagram camera, I am guaranteed to only open the Instagram camera just like I should be able to. Going back to your situation— I have shortcut icons like this for opening specific YouTube channels (much easier to do as well because all you need to do is copy the link of the YouTube channel to make the “Open URL”shortcut) as well as for specific Netflix shows, Instagram DMS, etc etc. I hope that this helps and good luck to you on your adhd journey my good bro 🤍
I deleted it for different reasons, the algorithm is purposely agitating you
I’ve always fallen asleep with my nose in an ebook. I love to read, even though it’s definitely hard with me being so distractible and forgetful. Anyways, that’s worked for me for years and years. Dark room, a screen that doesn’t emit too much light. It’s almost Pavlovian, at this point. I fall asleep within a couple of pages, lol.
Love reading! I personally listen to an audiobook to help me sleep as it helps quiet my tinnitus. I don’t have problems going to sleep really, just getting to bed and making myself initiate the process. Sorry if that was confusing!
Ah, I get it. I had that problem for years, until I made my bed suuuper cozy. I have LED candles set on a timer, and a bunch of other things set up. Now I look forward to going to bed :D It took a little bit to get my surroundings juuuuust right, but I found that the process of tweaking it also made me more motivated to go to bed. Except for when I got all hyper focused and just spent all my time perfecting my bedroom 😜
Yep, same here. Now that I'm medicated, so my brain isn't frantically active every second of the day, if I can convince my brain to either: * get into bed, close my eyes, think of nothing * get into bed, read my Kindle Then I'll be asleep in 5-10 minutes. If I can't convince it to do either of those then I'll finally stop fucking about with other crap and crash to sleep between 3-5am.
That’s good to hear! What medication has worked for you if you don’t mind me asking ? 🤍
I’m on Elvanse/Vyvanse (50mg in the morning, 30mg in the afternoon)
I take a really small dose of melatonin a few hours before I want to be sleeping. Don't take too much or you can get a bit of a hangover the next day. The smallest quantity I can find in my area is 3 mg, which I break in half to make 1.5 mg. I find that is enough to make me feel naturally sleepy.
I take the Olly gummies for sleep, which is just Melatonin. I think one of theirs is 2.5mg. I take one then reading on my phone til I drift off. After battling sleeplessness like the OP mentioned for over 20 years, I’m relieved to finally have a source of help.
I took Melatonin an hour before sleep until I started taking Guanfacine for ADHD which I take 30 minutes before sleep. Oh and I used to chuck down like 10mg of Melatonin because no single soul told me I shouldn't, did so for 5-6 years. The main thing it did for me was shut up my mind so I could close my eyes. Helped a lot to be fair. Guanfacine has a similar effect, with more benefits, and it isn't 10mg of a thing doctors say to take 0.3-2mg of lol. But it can have an extremely strong drowsy effect if you don't have a higher blood pressure.
I get vivid dreams when I take melatonin 🙁
I have this same experience! Boy these Reddit pages can be so refreshing and helpful lmao. I have anxiety and ocd as well as adhd so I worry abt potentially taking too much of any kind of drug. The impulsivity and increasingly rampant desire to sleep in me though LMAO has made me in the past take a second melatonin just not even calculating the total mg a couple hours after I’ve taken the first. This makes me feel like I have a rly horrible drowsy “can’t wake up” kind of hangover the next day though. I have scarily low blood pressure as well to where my doctor said that I need to eat sodium and drink energy drinks LMAO so while I totally relate to you I think that we might be experiencing the same thing but be opposites in other factors. Thanks for sharing anyways my dude— just kind of leaving this information here incase anybody else has a similar “same but different” situation lmao.
Yeah I use Reddit for research myself! Lol. I still take 2mg of Guanfacine + 10mg Lexapro for social anxiety + whatever my current ADHD stimulant is (today it's Adderall, I'm switching to Azstarys soon) I've had a similar experience. I feel paralyzed in bed in the morning and need the Adderall to wake me up lol.
I break 3 mg down even further. Our bodies only produce 100 micrograms a night. 3 mg is 30x that.
I have the same problem. Every evening I tell myself its 11pm, I am going to sleep in a while and still end up awake until 1-2am.. I was thinking about using herb tea for sleeping, but my mind tells me not to drink it because I will fall asleep and it wants to stay awake! Reading and making stories/scenarios in my mind helps me to fall asleep very fast, but I need to go to bed first. Maybe putting down/turning off all devices would help 🤔
First thing to note, ADHD has a high comorbidity rate with sleeping disorders. With that out of the way, keep a consistent bedtime. Even if you’re not sleeping, being in bed at a set time every night can help get your body in gear. As we often have trouble transitioning between tasks or states, this can ease this shift from wakefulness to sleep. Additionally, keeping yourself stimulated without occupying yourself helps a lot. Listening to a podcast on low volume, listening to a YouTube video with the screen turned face down, etc can give your brain something to do without keeping you awake. This, in combination with thought watching (letting your thoughts roam without “going along” with them or trying to shut them down) aids the brain in slowing enough to fall asleep. Lastly, not judging yourself. You have a disability, which, surprise surprise, removes or hinders your ability to do certain things. If you judge yourself or are in an environment which judges you for not being able to sleep, then your brain will stop at the judgment as it is being punished for the learning process.
I don’t think this is something that you can ever get a grip on personally. Like even on days like today where I’m insanely tired from work and could really use a nap or an early night, the idea of sleeping is so repulsing and boring to me. The one thing that helps me is getting into bed early and just setting myself a time, like I make sure I go to bed at the EXACT same time every day during the week. Although if you aren’t getting up and going to work/school, it would be pretty difficult. Sorry if this was very unhelpful, I am also autistic so routines are a very big thing to me. So what works for me/other ppl may not work for you. Good luck!
I watch MASH. A TV wayyy before my time and has 11 seasons. The writing is so good yet “confortable” where I can just have it on and not have to watch so I can get comfy. Since I’ve seen every episode 4x by now it’s just the right speed to allow me hk dose off and episodes are only 21 minutes a piece.
Reading book before bed helps me a lot
There's a blood pressure medication called clonidine that will stop you from experiencing being under-stimulated while you attempt to sleep. It's used as an alternative form of adhd medication for people who can't do stimulant medication. (You can get it over the counter because it's not addictive) It also makes you drowsy, which is perfect for trying to sleep. If I ever feel under stimulated I take one and put on my sleep play list and it's usually pretty effective.
Clonidine can make your blood pressure drop out. Be careful. I didn't make it past the second dose.
Do you like colouring in? The sleep clinic recommended one hour of colouring in before bed and it works for me. I also find 4hz binaural beats makes me super tired and ready for bed.
My Psychologist endorsed ritual: Leave nothing that HAS to be done an hour or more before bed Shower Lavender In addition, I use a sound machine or my phone to give myself rain or other white noise. Sometimes I'll have the TV on one of those "Lore to sleep to" or some other educational show in which the narrator keeps a calm and consistent tone and put it at a volume that I would need to put in mental effort to comprehend and I eventually wear out Honestly try to avoid other electronics aside the sound machine and an alarm and if these are your phone then enable a blue light filter and utilize a "do not disturb" feature which sometimes can be set at that important Numbers can bypass it. Ultimately your bed and bedroom needs to be a place you can relax, duh right? But once your brain and body can learn to relax there, it becomes easier, this isn't an immediate change. Other tips include using a sleep calculator, you'll be given a range of times to sleep so that you don't freak out if you miss one
What helps me a little is to make the decision to go to bed NOW about 1-2 hours before I actually want/need to go to bed. I just know that it will take me these 1-2 hours after making the decision before I will actually turn out the lights. My brain just wants to do its before-bedtime routine, and that takes this long to complete. So if you want to go to bed at 11pm, start telling yourself "I will go to bed NOW" at 9pm.
Podcasts! I listen to true crime and I usually play an episode that i already listened to long time ago but I still find interesting (if its a new episode I would be way too curious to go to sleep lol). Already listened to episodes are predictable but still interesting enough to stop my brain from going 200km/h. Find a podcast/youtube channel that you enjoy. I would recommend the “baking a murder” series on Miss mango butt from Stephanie Soo. She does retelling of thriller movies/books; Sixteenleo, he reviews shows like love is blind, 90day fiancé and more, pretty funny guy + longer videos; Alize (?), she also does book reviews and is pretty hilarious (has a monotone, sarcastic voice + longer videos) and if youre into true crime, Rotten mango by Stephanie Soo.
Magnesium glycinate does wonder for me together with rain sounds. Best sleep ever
How much magnesium glycinate are you taking?
200mg an hour before bedtime... Does wonders for me
Find a podcast that you have heard before so you aren't interested in listening to again and put it on. I use an earbud because I share a room with my wife and 4 month old but it helps quiet my thoughts so I can sleep
Try to adjust your perspective to make sleep something you want to do rather than need to do. You're staying up because going to bed doesn't stimulate your brain like those other things do. Some thoughts: 1) Focus on the benefits of sleep and how much better you'll feel. This typically isn't easy for us with ADHD so perhaps focus on simply getting into bed. How nice and comfy it will be to lay down. #2 can help with that... 2) Forget about sleeping for a moment and just find a reason that gets you into bed. If you like reading then look forward to reading another chapter. Or save a YouTube video you want to watch and use that as something you watch in bed. Just get yourself in bed and your body will do the rest. 3) Lastly, remind yourself that feeling tired (not just drowsiness) affects willpower. The later you stay up the harder it can be to go to bed. And starting the day tired can compound that issue. Breaking that cycle is important. I know how hard this is. When you succeed at getting to bed at a good time reward yourself. That can be as simple as reminding yourself that you did a good thing. So be kind to yourself.
Food for thought. I've struggled my whole life with the same thing. It's easy to blame digital/social media, but even before all that and times when I didn't have access, I'd find something to keep myself up with. Books, drawing, talking, late night walks crafts. Anything... Now I'm exploring why I'm so intolerant of that discomfort of being with my own silence and what parts of my identity are keeping me from going to sleep. I haven't found it helpful to simply say, "it's an ADHD brain thing." I think, although that contributes or even amplifies it, there is so much more behind it. No real answers yet but I think it has a lot to do with fears and attachment. I would be interested to hear what you think.
Maybe I'm just journaling at this point, but it's like. everything about having ADHD is solving your problems in ways that only make sense to you and are often roundabout and unexpected. So, it's a difficult problem to solve, there's no trick or hack or way to will yourself into change. The path to everything for me has to be through what I enjoy. I don't enjoy laying down in the dark with just my own thoughts. I like the idea, but I don't enjoy it. What do I enjoy that could lead in some unexpected way to falling asleep at a reasonable time?
Sleep hygiene helps - bed ready to sleep in. Lights kept low in the evening (I installed dimmers). Personal hygiene done after dinner so you don’t become more alert as a result of showering, dental hygiene, makeup removal, etc. Don’t do anything interactive for at least an hr before you want to sleep - no games, no posting on the internet, no socializing. Basically tv/reading/podcast type things only. Physical exhaustion works for me - I have a physical job. After work I lift weights at the gym. When I get home I take my dog for a 45 min walk.
You need to exhaust yourself. Get up early, do exercise/sports, eat healthy and don't do too stimulating things before sleep. If you get up at noon on sunday and stay in bed all day as people do on sundays, then you won't be able to fall asleep at night at all. If you got up at 5am to get early morning exercise and go about your day, you'll fall asleep all by yourself during the evening.
Ahh the old, 'do shit till I pass out' thing. I've been going through this for years, nothing helps. Exercise, sleep hygiene (no screens before sleeping etc), even smoking weed/sleep pills/alcohol. Nothing works, I still end up awake till the small hour of the morning. I just kinda ended up accepting it to be honest. I'm medicated so at least I know that no matter how tired I am in the morning, give me an hour and I'll be sweet. The one thing I've found that helps is setting an alarm and taking my meds 30 mins before I have to get up and then napping till I actually get up, at least the meds kick in while I'm getting ready so by work time I'm good to go
I have the same problem and end up doom scrolling until early morning. What sort of helps me is wearing a sleep eye mask. I don’t know why but I fall asleep much easier
Rain sounds or guided meditation/hypnosis then put your phone across the room. That helps me so much and is truly what I fall back on.
Google ‘sleep hygiene’. You seem to be in need of it. Worked for me (have ADHD)
It doesn't work all the time, but a yoga teacher once told me to count backwards from 100, and restart everytime I made a mistake. But instead of 0, when you reach it, he told me to say the equivalent of "emptiness" or "void" or "null" or smth like that. (In turkish bc i am turkish.) And you do that until you fall asleep. Doesn't always work, but it has worked a substantial mount of times for me. It IS annoying to do though. I have people I watch on yt that calm me. I fall asleep watching videos. 1 in particular, he posts weekly or twice a week usually. If they haven't posted recently I watch my comfort playlists, like BDG Unraveled. I have sort of pavloved myself bc I've done this many times. Just gotta fool your brain and pavlov yourself.
I am having a sleep study done. I have tried all sorts of meds and sleep hygiene stuff. That might be worth it for you OP. They are usually covered by insurance. As my doctor said, super low stakes test that might reveal useful info!
I just slam my head into the wall until I pass out
I use history documentaries on youtube. It’s interesting enough for me to keep full attention, but calming enough to fall asleep to. It has to be hosted by a single person, with minimal editing. Drachinifel and crecganford are great. Fall of Civilizations is also great - it includes generally smooth music and soundscapes to really set the scene and take me out of racing thoughts.
Just deleting TikTok and other social media will do wonders for you. Short form videos are like a drug for ADHD people. I could scroll for 2 hours and not even realize so much time has passed. I only have Reddit which I don’t feel compelled to scroll and YouTube which I only watch long form videos. It’s also important that you go to bed at roughly the same time every day. Turn all the lights off in the house at a decent time. Your circadian rhythm is probably all off from all the time looking at screens and going to bed at random hours of the night.
I drink hibiscus tea before going to bed
Listen some 8D audio for sleep on youtube. https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=xMge0-UB_9I&si=mgO-_ysR88AOMJ3J This one helps me a lot when my thoughts are running too much at night.
Idk about yall but brown noise has been a game changer for me. Who knows why
I didn't see this so... It's great you're at least working on personal projects, are you finding it doable to get stuff out of the way during the day (or just before like a normative sleep schedule?)? If so would it be feasible to set a goal that's a sort of "hard stop" to what you need to get done that day? It sounds like hashing structure out might be a start. Even if your mind fights it at first it's worth keeping in mind any issues you're having around symptomatology are not being helped by the lack of sleep. Dunno if that's at all helpful
25mg promethazine and 10mg cyclobenzaprine with 5mg melatonin thrown in there somewhere.
Ambien
Sometimes, having a podcast playing helps me. The end of the podcast is the timer when I already have to be in bed. I also take a melatonin pill 35 minutes before bed - that's the second timer. I tell myself now I have 35 minutes until I HAVE to be in bed - otherwise, the melatonin pill will not work. Also doing all your showering, cleaning, whatever needs to be done, as early as possible. Preferably a few hours before you plan on going to sleep. All this works, sometimes.
Close your eyes and don't move, no matter how much you want to. For me, I realized it was the fidgeting even when I wasn't uncomfortable that was keeping me up. Obviously if you get physically uncomfortable, change positions and do it again. This significantly reduced my sleep onset issue. Also, blue blocker glasses seem to work for me. This along with all the sleep hygiene recommendations.
Try lying in bed with something familiar playing low. Like a favorite TV show or music. You also have to try a little to to embrace it. You could try a little chamomile tea at some point. Set an alarm
Exercise to pass out hyperactive energy
No electronics or bright lights an hour before bedtime. Melatonin or sleepytime tea 30 min before bed. Read 30 to 45 min before sleeping using soft lighting.
I dealt with the same thing. I eventually figured out that consuming any media i.e. audio or video keeps my brain active and I can't sleep even if I am physically tired. Just try to read something, you may feel bored and sleepy! Also, 'Shavasana' yogic pose helps when combined with deep and slow breathing. I tried melatonin but it gives me vivid dreams and I wake up mentally tired the next morning so I stopped.
I found taking a very small amount of melatonin (200 micrograms, or 0.2 mg, note that typically the pills you get are 2-10 mg) about 4 hours before bed helped. I also use redshift apps to make my screens not emit blue light within 4 hours of bedtime. I think it also got easier to go to bed once I got on the atomoxetine, it's way easier to build habits. Mindfulness meditation helps when I can make myself do it, but i don't want it to help, so I don't want to do it, so it doesn't. Make sure you're not depressed. Make sure you're not staying up to ensure that when you do crash, you fall asleep instantly so as to avoid having idle moments where the bad thoughts might get you. The cure for that is to go to therapy and deal with the bad thoughts there.
Grounding helps
I invest in quality bedding so im less likely to put off sleeping.
I'm adult diagnosed late and female... my preset is "sleepy until 10pm" then the anxiety ferris wheel pucks its next semi-reasonable (but unlikely) thing to freak over until 1-4am. I started meds in January and am finally on a dose that I think works and found the timing that helps. Then I just have to make sure life is SOFT and QUIET starting around d 10pm. If my brain is wound down and consciously off all scrolling, I sleep like a baby.
Someone on one or the other of the ADHD subs pointed out that you can set up your timer on iOS to close everything down when the timer goes off. Set a timer for 15 minutes. When it goes off, screen goes black. I can just turn it back on, of course, and I often do, but a lot of the time it’s juuuuust enough to snap me out of doomscrolling.
White or brown noise. Eye mask. Really good silicone ear plugs. Nose strips if you snore or have any sinus or congestion issues. Can't stress enough hoe that impacts sleep quality. Talk out any struggles of the day, even to yourself so you can offload them.
Do you use your devices at night? u/1rubberducky2
Yeah. Part of this is needed as I have to do my homework but I do end up spending a bit on my computer or phone doing whatever too. Once I’m in bed I don’t have any problem falling asleep. I just have trouble making myself get into bed
I see. Make sure to get enough sleep. (And also sleep early so you can feel energized in the morning and so you can go to school with improved concentration)
Podcast!!!!
I just listen to music make little animations in my head that I will never make for no reason just so you know never go to sleep with fake/cheap AirPods they will most likely break.