ADHD & Sleep
Common Sleep Challenges Experienced By People with ADHD
Sleep is an essential foundation for cognitive functioning and overall mood, and sets the stage for how we feel and function in every part of our lives. This isn’t new - you know this! Nobody hears “getting enough sleep is important” and is surprised by this news. However, keeping up with good sleep habits requires more than good intentions. Knowing is the easy part, doing is the hard part!
For people with ADHD, sleep can be an even bigger challenge than it is for neurotypical people. ADHD is a disorder that makes getting from “knowing” to “doing” a real struggle, and ADHD itself makes sleep harder. There are a few reasons for this, which make good sense when we move away from self-judgment or criticism and focus instead on how neurodivergence impacts many aspects of your functioning.
People with ADHD tend to be night owls, and life’s schedule often doesn’t accommodate for this. You might notice that a task you’ve started before bed is “sticky”, meaning you got started, fell into hyperfocus, and missed your intended bedtime. Maybe necessary evening tasks got pushed later into the evening due to procrastination or inefficiencies earlier in the day. ADHD can make it harder to turn your mind off in bed; sleep is always harder when our brains are buzzing with activity! Having a disrupted sleep pattern means that your sleep/wake cycle might be all over the place, making it a challenge for your body to know what’s expected of it.
Another contributor to poor sleep routines for people with ADHD? Time theft! We might steal time from sleep, believing we can have our cake and eat it too. Ignoring the impact of avoiding hard decisions or choosing counterproductive actions doesn’t mean we don’t pay the price. Most people have a few favorite fibs they tell themselves…”just one more episode”, “just 15 more minutes”, “it’s no big deal, I can sleep in on the weekend”. All of these are set-ups for lack of quality sleep to impact mood, functioning, follow through on good intentions tomorrow, and more.
Learn how to improve your sleep habits by reading the follow-up to this article, ADHD & Sleep - Sleep Strategies for People With ADHD.
Interested in working with a counsellor who specializes in ADHD to improve your life? Book a Matching Appointment with our Clinical Director today - she’ll help you choose from our team of ADHD-informed counsellors offering in person therapy in Victoria, BC and Duncan, BC, and virtual counselling on Vancouver Island and across BC. You can also check out the profiles of our ADHD Counsellors on Vancouver Island and across BC below.
Featured ADHD Counsellors
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Ann Downie
REGISTERED CLINICAL COUNSELLOR
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Jenny Harris
REGISTERED CLINICAL COUNSELLOR
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Victoria Dendy
REGISTERED CLINICAL COUNSELLOR
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Jennifer Mussell
REGISTERED CLINICAL COUNSELLOR
Counselling for ADHD
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) has shown to be highly beneficial in managing ADHD symptoms through structured therapeutic techniques. CBT aims to address core challenges such as impulsivity, inattention, and emotional dysregulation by helping individuals recognize and modify their thinking patterns and behaviors.
CBT for ADHD typically focuses on several key areas:
1. Behavioural Strategies: Therapists work with clients to develop practical skills and strategies to manage impulsivity and improve time management. This includes setting realistic goals, breaking tasks into smaller steps, and implementing routines.
2. Cognitive Restructuring: By identifying and challenging negative thought patterns, individuals learn to reframe their perceptions and develop more adaptive thinking habits. This process helps in reducing self-criticism and improving self-esteem.
3. Skill Building: CBT helps enhance executive function skills such as planning, organization, and problem-solving. Clients learn techniques to improve attention and concentration, which are often impaired in ADHD.
4. Emotional Regulation: Techniques like mindfulness and relaxation exercises are taught to help manage emotional reactivity and stress. This supports better self-control and reduces impulsive reactions.
Overall, CBT provides a structured approach to addressing ADHD symptoms by teaching practical skills, enhancing self-awareness, and promoting adaptive behaviours. It empowers individuals to better manage their symptoms, improve daily functioning, and achieve their personal and academic goals with greater confidence.
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Behavioural therapy for ADHD focuses on modifying specific behaviors associated with the disorder. It employs techniques such as positive reinforcement, which rewards desired behaviors like attention and task completion. Through behaviour management strategies, individuals with ADHD learn to break tasks into manageable steps, establish routines, and improve organization skills. Behavioral therapy also targets impulse control by teaching techniques to delay immediate gratification. By reinforcing positive behaviors and providing consistent structure, behavioural therapy helps individuals with ADHD improve their focus, productivity, and overall functioning in daily life.
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Psychoeducation provides clients with ADHD essential knowledge about the disorder, including its symptoms, impact on daily life, and effective management strategies. This understanding helps individuals and their families make informed decisions, cope better with challenges, and adhere to treatment plans more effectively.
Match To A Counsellor
One of the greatest predictors of a meaningful experience is the fit between you and your counsellor.
Let us help you find the right fit.
Our Clinical Director will ask you some questions, share some options, then help you choose from our team of therapists.
Connect by phone or online - it’s your choice!