How ADHD and Adderall Make It Tough for Teens to Sleep

How ADHD and Adderall Make It Tough for Teens to Sleep ADHD Living With ADD/ADHD Print How ADHD and Adderall Interfere With Your Teens Sleep By Keath Low Keath Low, MA, is a therapist and clinical scientist with the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities at the University of North Carolina. She specializes in treatment of ADD/ADHD. Learn about our editorial policy Keath Low Updated on January 17, 2020 ADHD Overview Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment Living With In Children Tetra Images/Getty Images Sleep issues in children and adolescents with ADHD are a common occurrence. Sometimes prescribed stimulant medications, like Adderall, affect sleep. Other times the restlessness that accompanies ADHD causes difficulty falling asleep. Either way, your son or daughter is likely to experience challenges related to sleep deprivation, which can include lack of focus and mood issues. In the long run, children and teens who are sleep deprived may crash, requiring very long periods of sleep in order to catch up on the rest they need. Whats the key to helping your child to sleep? Your challenge is to find a happy medium between 1) when your childs medication has completely worn off (making him too restless for sleep) and 2) when your childs medication is in effect but still too stimulating for sleep. This process may take some trial and error, but with your doctors help and your childs involvement, you can resolve the problem. Sleep Deprivation and Teens “The restriction in total sleep time experienced by teens worsens as they progress through high school with 12th graders significantly more sleep-restricted than 7th graders. Crashes are inevitable and may occur far more frequently than every four months, says Helene A. Emsellem, MD, director of The Center for Sleep Wake Disorders in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and author of Snooze…or Lose! Ten ‘No-War’ Ways to Improve Your Teen’s Sleep Habits. Studies have shown that adolescents require 8.5 to 9.25 hours of sleep per night, but teenagers often get considerably less. Sleep and ADHD Dr. Emsellem says that it is important to be aware of the symptomatic overlap between ADD/ADHD and sleep restriction. “Difficulty with attention, focus, and concentration are key symptoms of both sleepiness and ADD/ADHD. The presence of sleep restriction will aggravate ADD/ADHD symptoms. If the worsened symptoms are managed with higher medication doses rather than with the much-needed sleep then symptoms may snowball.” How to Help Your Child Sleep   Be sure to talk with your child’s doctor about your concerns. It may be that he or she can adjust the dosage and timing of the medication. This is particularly important “to avoid the spill-over effects in the evening hours which may make it difficult for your teen to wind down and fall asleep,” notes Dr. Emsellem. “It may be a challenge to adjust for the adequate dosage to allow for evening studying, yet not interfere with sleep onset.” These are all issues you will want to discuss with the doctor. Reducing the Side Effects of ADHD Medication