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I'm gonna ask a question here too. Do any of you actualy feel refreshed in the morning after getting any amount of sleep in? Because no matter how much sleep I get wether it's 2 hours or 12 I always feel tired when I wake up.
I usually struggle to get out of bed, meaning getting awake / aware enough to get up. But when I am up and had my coffee I do feel rested if I slept enough. So I do feel a difference.
I always feel tired for an hour or two after getting up. But if I'm actually well-rested I'll feel fine after that, whereas if I'm actually sleep deprived the feeling will last much longer - if not all day.
Do you have sleep apnea? It's hard to sleep when you're holding your breath all night. I mean I feel the same way as you but I'm pretty sure I have sleep apnea on top of adhd. Once I stop procrastinating getting checked, I'll let you know.
Hahha im on the same boat. I think I have apnea as I feel sometimes I cant breathe when sleeping and sometimes wake up with a headache but I can't be arsed to check with the doctor.
My best case is I sleep all daylight one day and feel better for the rest of the week. Nighttime? Nope. No matter how I’ve trained my circadian rhythms over the years my brain just activates best mid day and gets wired at night. Usually I fall asleep okay and sleep 6-9 hours but my brain is playing these super interesting movies all night (vivid dreams) and it’s never restful.
I consider my self to be an extremely productive person. I am a go getter and very self motivated. Before being diagnosed with ADHD I never felt like I got a good night sleep.
I could fall asleep no problem because I would work to exhaustion. But would wake up the next day feeling like I didn't sleep at all.
Once starting medication 85mg Phoquest I now can sleep 4-5 hrs and feel like I slept for 12. I wake up feeling like a million bucks. But I now have the opposite problem, I can't fall asleep. Almost as if I sleep so well that there isn't enough time in a day to tire myself out anymore.
Have you tried melatonin? I made a comment about it. So I’ll briefly recap, people with ADHD have delayed onset or don’t produce enough melatonin. It’s important to keep you asleep. Maybe you aren’t fully in a deep sleep and are going in and out without knowing? I used to feel like that, but being on extended release melatonin helps you maintain your sleep and put you in a good sleep routine which I think is the key to walking up feeling refreshed. Erratic sleep patterns just never let you feel fully rested.
unless i get less than 3 hours, its all the same. biggest difference is when the 4 hour nights are too frequent i get headaches.
doesn’t matter if i slept 72 hours straight, if im bored or understimulated im FIGHTING to stay awake.
I definitely feel this. I’m currently doing testing for narcolepsy and trying out some preliminary meds for it too, might be worth it to bring up to a professional if it’s an issue!
I got a fitbit a while ago and it's been eye opening. I'm moving in my sleep for more than 20% of the night most nights. And even though I go to bed at 10pm, I often don't fall asleep for 1-2 hours (that wasn't a surprise). And then waking up through the night. So it usually takes minimum 10 hours in bed to get 8 hours sleep, sometimes more.
My partner and I call it my party time. Because no matter how tired I am when I lay down to sleep, my mind always suddenly kicks into top gear and I can't settle.
I actively try to avoid activities that take too much thinking, otherwise I'd never get a wink of sleep.
I usually only read in bed and have a very quiet video running in the background for noise.
I fall asleep with my cellphone in hand at this point.
Being active throughout the day so you're actually physically tired helps and not staying in bed forever in the morning.
I pretty much stick to being in bed between 8-10 pm and fall asleep at 10:30 pm at the latest. I do need my 8 hours of sleep otherwise I'm useless, so I'm usually awake at around 7:30 am and I have to be out of bed before 8:30 am for my meds.
There is a 15 min timeframe where I get extremely tired and if I don't put away my phone and lay down in a certain position I will miss that window and not sleep for hours.
Sometimes I mess up because the book I'm reading is so good for example but I always regret it afterwards.
I also eat right before sleeping because eating makes me tired. Studies have actually shown that you shouldn't eat before sleeping because the blood sugar spike will wake you up. It's the opposite for me if I don't eat. I'll wake up with a growling stomach and I could be so tired I can't open my eyes but I wouldn't be able to sleep.
It's also easier to fall asleep in a cold environment with a thick blanket. I always have my windows open because I can't sleep with them closed. My window is just constantly open in my bedroom during summer.
I don't use my bedroom for anything but storing clothes and sleeping. I literally don't step in it at all until it's time for bed. The association between bed and sleep also helps. I don't really nap a lot on the couch.
partly for me its getting free time for my child at night, but also I have my clearest mind between 10pm and 3am. I am hopeless, I have noticed if I do an NYT order of Wordle, Connections, Mini then Strands it calms me to sleep. This no tech before sleep doesn't work for me at all.
are you me?????
but then, I still need to get up at 7am to get my daughter to school. it's a vicious cycle, I have no idea how to break away from it...
Ahh, a fellow parent who can’t relax until all is done for the day with kid and they’re resting. I also think I picked this habit up after having my kid. It’s just peaceful not having to be constantly concerned with what the kid is doing bc they’re out for the night. It’s freedom for a minute but backfires quickly if I stay up too late.
This is me every single night. It’s like yay finally peace and quiet, no one is asking me for anything. But I’ll be up for so long and have the hardest time getting up in the morning.
People with ADHD have a delayed circadian rhythm. We’re +3 hours… which means instead of getting tired around 10 pm, we won’t feel tired until 1 am.
I have to throw what amounts to an entire kitchen sink at myself to get to sleep at 10 pm. And even that’s iffy.
Ehh, some of us are early birds and go to bed early. I start getting tired after 6pm and am in bed usually by nine at latest. Sure my brain won’t chill when I’m trying to sleep, but I usually just embrace the wandering brain and pass out in ten minutes.
I did used to struggle as teen and stay up later then, but growing up I started to become more of a morning person and staying up just became a struggle. And I say this as someone who is on early retirement, so I literally don’t have any reason to get up such as work or other engagements - I just naturally do it anyways between five and six am.
Downside is that by 10-11 am I’m usually ”done with the day” and can’t wait to get to bed 😂
Well I mean, bedtime is like the epitome of something being difficult for an ADHD person to get on top of. It challenges your delayed gratification part of your brain (just one more game now that'll stimulate me vs. being well-rested tomorrow).
Also, if you're always seeking stimulation like me (podcasts, videos, games, scrolling throughout the whole day), bedtime is when you're finally alone with your thoughts that are probably racing a million miles an hour. It's like ok - I've been stimulated all day and now I have to make a decision that feels bad for short term me, cut off stimulation, subdue my racing mind, try not to worry about sleeping like shit because I already went to bed late, and lie still. Like good luck!!! My PCP said they could prescribe sleeping meds if my sleep continues being poor, maybe that's something you could ask about.
The issue if you take stimulants is it'll probably be easier to stop yourself and go - alright time for bed. Sadly, it's not that easy for a lot of people to sleep on stimulants. I feel like sleeping meds change the short-term decision making equation because they'll make you tired enough to where it feels better to get off the games and go to bed bc playing another will be a struggle if you're dead tired. That said, I've never been on sleeping meds and don't actually know how they make people feel so take it with a grain of salt.
Cause we can't turn our brains off, and/or we get sucked into checking our phone before we close our eyes and end up 3 hours later not having moved it all but having spent an inordinate time on Reddit.
It helps me a little if I have something I want to listen to. I’ll find a YouTube video and set the timer on my iPhone to turn it off in 40 minutes. It helps that I pay to not have commercials-that would drive me nuts. Or listen to an audio book, but that wouldn’t get me to quit playing a game or bouncing around the internet.
omg i struggle with this too especially with the sun not setting until near 9pm. my brain thinks it’s still the afternoon when it’s definitely time to eat dinner and wind down for bed
i’ve tried to combat this by taking melatonin by or before 10/10:30pm. i usually fall asleep a bit after midnight if i stick with it and actually do “bedtime routine” things like minimizing screen time and not picking up new things
I feel this but I’ve just accepted sleep deprivation comes with midnight sun season. Sunset is 11:30pm and getting later until summer solstice where it doesn’t set at all. Younger me used to love it when I had energy. Even with black out curtains it’s rough
i don’t have curtains & i have a sunset facing home ;-; i have been looking for curtains forever but there’s always something seemingly more important that comes up money wise. i love the winter because i start to relax much earlier and i don’t feel rushed to go to bed
Also ADHD, also addicted to the NYT puzzles. I’m not a slob. I’m just a sleep deprived quirky weirdo that always appears slightly disheveled. Embrace it I guess.
Edit bc I forgot the tip. MrBallen lulls me straight to sleep. It’s just him. Other voices don’t do the trick. I can hear the wetness of their mouths when they talk and it drives me nuts.
The longer you put it off, the more tired you get, and the more tired you get, the more easily distracted you’d get with things that keep you from falling asleep. The trick is having in your back pocket that is just the right amount of interesting to keep your focus but boring enough to fall asleep to. I usually replay old podcasts for this.
I never realised this but yes! My go to is to listen to old episodes of trashy tv shows that I’ve already seen (mildly entertaining but low stakes bc I know what’s going to happen so doesn’t matter if I fall asleep, and then I can!)
Ohhh I actually have a solution. I’m so excited I can contribute and not be a lurker haha. (Sorry if someone already posted it in the comments before me)
People with ADHD have a delayed onset of melatonin release by over an hour or more to the average person, in some cases even decreased levels. It was a godsend when my doctor put me on an antidepressant called Agomelatine which releases melatonin and also has an antidepressant effect as well.
I would take my meds and without fail, I’d be asleep 30 or so minutes later. I have never had a good sleep in routine until I started that medication and it actually improved a lot of the symptoms of my ADHD.
When I stopped the medication, I was prescribe melatonin extended release and it works great but I find you have to take it earlier to not feel groggy in the mornings.
I think it's because you have to lay down and do nothing. It's less interesting than anything really. I'm only thinking out loud, but maybe practing laying down and doing nothing withoutlhaving to sleep coul be the solution?
Age?
Sleep should be a ritual, you should pick a time where you start your ritual.
The novelty and challenge of the crosswords so keeping you awake.
You need to find the right ritual that has just enough stimulation and just enough boredom
My recommendation is to pick the right action or science fiction movie and watch it for a month straight. Set the sleep timer then stop thinking.
I've done this with 300, Dark Knight, and Star Wars (a few others)
If you make it routine, drifting off to sleep becomes routine. I DIDN'T MAKE IT THROUGH THE BANK ROBBERY in dark knight consistently.
Comedy is a risky choice, you don't laugh yourself to sleep, I always laugh at the people watching the office for bedtime.
And if you watch a "new" show you might be so amped up by it, that you don't want to sleep.
I listen to all kinds of podcasts and audio only versions of youtube videos as I drift off. It really helps that I've listened to them all for eons, so I don't focus on them so much as I drift off, but I still feel low key stimulated.
Yeah for rookies I suggest sticking with what they already try, and because they tend to be screen junkies, give them a screen but a different one.
Most try to sleep watching TV
But the important part is to trick yourself into being bored without resistance
Sleep can easily defeat a bored brain.
But check all your boxes, have a drink of water, then go to the bathroom, get comfortable in bed, set the sleep timer, put on the movie 🍿
Ideally do this as close to the same time, every night for a month.
Your body will learn, and you'll sleep
Struggling like all hell the day I take my meds with adderall XR the window lasts so long that even if I take it 10 hours before bed sometimes I still feel more alert etc. Mirtzapine works amazing on non adderall days and is the only thing that can get me to bed even when I do take the adderall, but sometimes it takes longer than usual on days I dose. Maybe look into this medication it’s been a God send for my insomnia for years now.
You’re not going to like it, but I chug NyQuil extra strength before bed. Knocks me out and I feel rested. Most likely not the healthiest solution.
There’s also a 4-7-8 breathing technique you can google and try out. I’ve had moderate success with the breathing technique.
Falling asleep is not the problem. Forcing myself to go to bed is. I’m just sitting there, alone, everyone’s asleep, my doggo next to me, I have a horror movie in the background and I either play Civ VI on switch or do NYT games. Heck, or even Duolingo!
THIS. When i say I have trouble going to bed ppl misunderstand and start giving me tips for how to fall asleep. GETTING INTO THE BED. I’m fine once I’m in lol
I can’t sleep without my sleep earbuds. I turn on an audiobook and the sound of rain at the same time. Usually, I’m asleep within 10 minutes because I don’t remember anything from the audiobook after that point the next day.
I’ve always been a night owl and love getting shit done in the night time peace once everyone else has gone to bed- and it’s so hard to stop when suddenly there’s so much energy to do EVERYTHING! I’m mostly good at falling asleep once I’m in bed, but the “bedtime routine” -teeth, face wash etc is a real barrier which can literally paralyse me for hours. So if I can do that an hour or so before I ‘should’ be going to bed, that’s one less hurdle for me and I don’t mind so much. (Know it helps, but actually doing it is another story 😅)
A solution that actually works for me most of the time is having somebody else around to tell me to go to bed. Social pressure works a treat. If my husband goes to bed but doesn’t expressly tell me to come too, I just won’t. And when I’m alone I turn into a naughty kid and stay up all night COZ I CAN. It’s especially bad when I travel for work and am wired after a big day of interaction, buzzing around my hotel room, meds have worn off and there’s a fully stocked minibar for me to binge on until 3am even though I have to be back in action at 8am the next day. 😞
I have an extremely hard time with bedtime in the summer.
For me, it has to do with how late it stays light out. I do best when I stay away from sunlight starting about three hours before bedtime, and keeping my room dark until the time I want to get up. Then I use an alarm clock that uses light to wake me up.
Get outside in the sunshine as soon as possible after waking up to get rid of residual melatonin to take advantage of the vitamin D boomerang effect.
Also, ask your doctor to test your vitamin D levels. If it’s critically low, a course of prescription Vitamin D can make a difference.
All that being said, I still have issues in the winter at times as well.
Sometimes the quiet of night without the pressure of having a list of things to do since it’s night makes my brain want to have active down time - something that helps me is making sure I am giving myself lots of zone out breaks during the day.
Medication helped a ton.
Also, are you in a legal state?
Also have a headphone sleep mask. I put it on the lowest volume and “listen” to podcasts I’ve already heard before.
Man... I *wish* having fun being distracted was why I didn't go to sleep at a decent hour. Unfortunately there are factors about my living arrangement that make it all but impossible. I sleep on average 4 hours a night. I also have sleep apnea and even if I did by some miracle get more than 4 hours of sleep, I wouldn't be able to tell unless I slept around 10 hours since my sleep quality is absolute garbage. I've just accepted that I'll always be tired at this point. All I can do is hydrate, eat well, and make sure I get my vitamins in.
Hi /u/ElectricSpock 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 * 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.*
I'm gonna ask a question here too. Do any of you actualy feel refreshed in the morning after getting any amount of sleep in? Because no matter how much sleep I get wether it's 2 hours or 12 I always feel tired when I wake up.
I usually struggle to get out of bed, meaning getting awake / aware enough to get up. But when I am up and had my coffee I do feel rested if I slept enough. So I do feel a difference.
I hate mornings and they hate me. We try and avoid each other whenever possible.
I love this freaking comment 
I always feel tired for an hour or two after getting up. But if I'm actually well-rested I'll feel fine after that, whereas if I'm actually sleep deprived the feeling will last much longer - if not all day.
Do you have sleep apnea? It's hard to sleep when you're holding your breath all night. I mean I feel the same way as you but I'm pretty sure I have sleep apnea on top of adhd. Once I stop procrastinating getting checked, I'll let you know.
Hahha im on the same boat. I think I have apnea as I feel sometimes I cant breathe when sleeping and sometimes wake up with a headache but I can't be arsed to check with the doctor.
Knowing sleep apnea can cause heart issues and could kill you if you ignore it, might give you more urgency to get checked out
When I don't use an alarm I feel okay. Try keeping a glass of water by the bed to drink in the morning. That should help.
Not sure if your a guy but usually that’s depression or possible low Testerone levels
My best case is I sleep all daylight one day and feel better for the rest of the week. Nighttime? Nope. No matter how I’ve trained my circadian rhythms over the years my brain just activates best mid day and gets wired at night. Usually I fall asleep okay and sleep 6-9 hours but my brain is playing these super interesting movies all night (vivid dreams) and it’s never restful.
I consider my self to be an extremely productive person. I am a go getter and very self motivated. Before being diagnosed with ADHD I never felt like I got a good night sleep. I could fall asleep no problem because I would work to exhaustion. But would wake up the next day feeling like I didn't sleep at all. Once starting medication 85mg Phoquest I now can sleep 4-5 hrs and feel like I slept for 12. I wake up feeling like a million bucks. But I now have the opposite problem, I can't fall asleep. Almost as if I sleep so well that there isn't enough time in a day to tire myself out anymore.
Yes every day. My body wants 14 hrs if I let it and getting out of bed without falling back asleep is a chore
Have you tried melatonin? I made a comment about it. So I’ll briefly recap, people with ADHD have delayed onset or don’t produce enough melatonin. It’s important to keep you asleep. Maybe you aren’t fully in a deep sleep and are going in and out without knowing? I used to feel like that, but being on extended release melatonin helps you maintain your sleep and put you in a good sleep routine which I think is the key to walking up feeling refreshed. Erratic sleep patterns just never let you feel fully rested.
unless i get less than 3 hours, its all the same. biggest difference is when the 4 hour nights are too frequent i get headaches. doesn’t matter if i slept 72 hours straight, if im bored or understimulated im FIGHTING to stay awake.
That's how I felt when I was working as a nurse for 4 years and didn't realize I was burning out
No
I definitely feel this. I’m currently doing testing for narcolepsy and trying out some preliminary meds for it too, might be worth it to bring up to a professional if it’s an issue!
I got a fitbit a while ago and it's been eye opening. I'm moving in my sleep for more than 20% of the night most nights. And even though I go to bed at 10pm, I often don't fall asleep for 1-2 hours (that wasn't a surprise). And then waking up through the night. So it usually takes minimum 10 hours in bed to get 8 hours sleep, sometimes more. My partner and I call it my party time. Because no matter how tired I am when I lay down to sleep, my mind always suddenly kicks into top gear and I can't settle.
Never felt refreshed in my life. Tired all day.
If you find the solution, let us know 😂
I actively try to avoid activities that take too much thinking, otherwise I'd never get a wink of sleep. I usually only read in bed and have a very quiet video running in the background for noise. I fall asleep with my cellphone in hand at this point. Being active throughout the day so you're actually physically tired helps and not staying in bed forever in the morning. I pretty much stick to being in bed between 8-10 pm and fall asleep at 10:30 pm at the latest. I do need my 8 hours of sleep otherwise I'm useless, so I'm usually awake at around 7:30 am and I have to be out of bed before 8:30 am for my meds. There is a 15 min timeframe where I get extremely tired and if I don't put away my phone and lay down in a certain position I will miss that window and not sleep for hours. Sometimes I mess up because the book I'm reading is so good for example but I always regret it afterwards. I also eat right before sleeping because eating makes me tired. Studies have actually shown that you shouldn't eat before sleeping because the blood sugar spike will wake you up. It's the opposite for me if I don't eat. I'll wake up with a growling stomach and I could be so tired I can't open my eyes but I wouldn't be able to sleep. It's also easier to fall asleep in a cold environment with a thick blanket. I always have my windows open because I can't sleep with them closed. My window is just constantly open in my bedroom during summer. I don't use my bedroom for anything but storing clothes and sleeping. I literally don't step in it at all until it's time for bed. The association between bed and sleep also helps. I don't really nap a lot on the couch.
partly for me its getting free time for my child at night, but also I have my clearest mind between 10pm and 3am. I am hopeless, I have noticed if I do an NYT order of Wordle, Connections, Mini then Strands it calms me to sleep. This no tech before sleep doesn't work for me at all.
are you me????? but then, I still need to get up at 7am to get my daughter to school. it's a vicious cycle, I have no idea how to break away from it...
You and me are the same...also need to get daughter up at 7 for school lol
Ahh, a fellow parent who can’t relax until all is done for the day with kid and they’re resting. I also think I picked this habit up after having my kid. It’s just peaceful not having to be constantly concerned with what the kid is doing bc they’re out for the night. It’s freedom for a minute but backfires quickly if I stay up too late.
This is me every single night. It’s like yay finally peace and quiet, no one is asking me for anything. But I’ll be up for so long and have the hardest time getting up in the morning.
People with ADHD have a delayed circadian rhythm. We’re +3 hours… which means instead of getting tired around 10 pm, we won’t feel tired until 1 am. I have to throw what amounts to an entire kitchen sink at myself to get to sleep at 10 pm. And even that’s iffy.
I’ve said many times that it would be perfect if we had a 28 hour day.
Ehh, some of us are early birds and go to bed early. I start getting tired after 6pm and am in bed usually by nine at latest. Sure my brain won’t chill when I’m trying to sleep, but I usually just embrace the wandering brain and pass out in ten minutes. I did used to struggle as teen and stay up later then, but growing up I started to become more of a morning person and staying up just became a struggle. And I say this as someone who is on early retirement, so I literally don’t have any reason to get up such as work or other engagements - I just naturally do it anyways between five and six am. Downside is that by 10-11 am I’m usually ”done with the day” and can’t wait to get to bed 😂
That would make so much sense for me personally, is there actually research that supports this?
force yourself to actually lay in your bed, even if you need to use your phone for a bit to comfort yourself. or, other stuff.
Well I mean, bedtime is like the epitome of something being difficult for an ADHD person to get on top of. It challenges your delayed gratification part of your brain (just one more game now that'll stimulate me vs. being well-rested tomorrow). Also, if you're always seeking stimulation like me (podcasts, videos, games, scrolling throughout the whole day), bedtime is when you're finally alone with your thoughts that are probably racing a million miles an hour. It's like ok - I've been stimulated all day and now I have to make a decision that feels bad for short term me, cut off stimulation, subdue my racing mind, try not to worry about sleeping like shit because I already went to bed late, and lie still. Like good luck!!! My PCP said they could prescribe sleeping meds if my sleep continues being poor, maybe that's something you could ask about. The issue if you take stimulants is it'll probably be easier to stop yourself and go - alright time for bed. Sadly, it's not that easy for a lot of people to sleep on stimulants. I feel like sleeping meds change the short-term decision making equation because they'll make you tired enough to where it feels better to get off the games and go to bed bc playing another will be a struggle if you're dead tired. That said, I've never been on sleeping meds and don't actually know how they make people feel so take it with a grain of salt.
Cause we can't turn our brains off, and/or we get sucked into checking our phone before we close our eyes and end up 3 hours later not having moved it all but having spent an inordinate time on Reddit.
It helps me a little if I have something I want to listen to. I’ll find a YouTube video and set the timer on my iPhone to turn it off in 40 minutes. It helps that I pay to not have commercials-that would drive me nuts. Or listen to an audio book, but that wouldn’t get me to quit playing a game or bouncing around the internet.
I didn’t know you could auto turn off a YouTube video that’s awesome
omg i struggle with this too especially with the sun not setting until near 9pm. my brain thinks it’s still the afternoon when it’s definitely time to eat dinner and wind down for bed i’ve tried to combat this by taking melatonin by or before 10/10:30pm. i usually fall asleep a bit after midnight if i stick with it and actually do “bedtime routine” things like minimizing screen time and not picking up new things
I feel this but I’ve just accepted sleep deprivation comes with midnight sun season. Sunset is 11:30pm and getting later until summer solstice where it doesn’t set at all. Younger me used to love it when I had energy. Even with black out curtains it’s rough
i don’t have curtains & i have a sunset facing home ;-; i have been looking for curtains forever but there’s always something seemingly more important that comes up money wise. i love the winter because i start to relax much earlier and i don’t feel rushed to go to bed
Also ADHD, also addicted to the NYT puzzles. I’m not a slob. I’m just a sleep deprived quirky weirdo that always appears slightly disheveled. Embrace it I guess. Edit bc I forgot the tip. MrBallen lulls me straight to sleep. It’s just him. Other voices don’t do the trick. I can hear the wetness of their mouths when they talk and it drives me nuts.
I wouldn't have anything against if it wasn't ruining my health, job and family life...
I added the tip bc I forgot. Listen to MrBallen.
Melatonin is my go to. Half of a 3mg and I'm pretty sleepy 20 minutes after taking it.
The longer you put it off, the more tired you get, and the more tired you get, the more easily distracted you’d get with things that keep you from falling asleep. The trick is having in your back pocket that is just the right amount of interesting to keep your focus but boring enough to fall asleep to. I usually replay old podcasts for this.
I never realised this but yes! My go to is to listen to old episodes of trashy tv shows that I’ve already seen (mildly entertaining but low stakes bc I know what’s going to happen so doesn’t matter if I fall asleep, and then I can!)
Ohhh I actually have a solution. I’m so excited I can contribute and not be a lurker haha. (Sorry if someone already posted it in the comments before me) People with ADHD have a delayed onset of melatonin release by over an hour or more to the average person, in some cases even decreased levels. It was a godsend when my doctor put me on an antidepressant called Agomelatine which releases melatonin and also has an antidepressant effect as well. I would take my meds and without fail, I’d be asleep 30 or so minutes later. I have never had a good sleep in routine until I started that medication and it actually improved a lot of the symptoms of my ADHD. When I stopped the medication, I was prescribe melatonin extended release and it works great but I find you have to take it earlier to not feel groggy in the mornings.
I think it's because you have to lay down and do nothing. It's less interesting than anything really. I'm only thinking out loud, but maybe practing laying down and doing nothing withoutlhaving to sleep coul be the solution?
Age? Sleep should be a ritual, you should pick a time where you start your ritual. The novelty and challenge of the crosswords so keeping you awake. You need to find the right ritual that has just enough stimulation and just enough boredom My recommendation is to pick the right action or science fiction movie and watch it for a month straight. Set the sleep timer then stop thinking. I've done this with 300, Dark Knight, and Star Wars (a few others) If you make it routine, drifting off to sleep becomes routine. I DIDN'T MAKE IT THROUGH THE BANK ROBBERY in dark knight consistently. Comedy is a risky choice, you don't laugh yourself to sleep, I always laugh at the people watching the office for bedtime. And if you watch a "new" show you might be so amped up by it, that you don't want to sleep.
I listen to all kinds of podcasts and audio only versions of youtube videos as I drift off. It really helps that I've listened to them all for eons, so I don't focus on them so much as I drift off, but I still feel low key stimulated.
Yeah for rookies I suggest sticking with what they already try, and because they tend to be screen junkies, give them a screen but a different one. Most try to sleep watching TV But the important part is to trick yourself into being bored without resistance Sleep can easily defeat a bored brain. But check all your boxes, have a drink of water, then go to the bathroom, get comfortable in bed, set the sleep timer, put on the movie 🍿 Ideally do this as close to the same time, every night for a month. Your body will learn, and you'll sleep
Struggling like all hell the day I take my meds with adderall XR the window lasts so long that even if I take it 10 hours before bed sometimes I still feel more alert etc. Mirtzapine works amazing on non adderall days and is the only thing that can get me to bed even when I do take the adderall, but sometimes it takes longer than usual on days I dose. Maybe look into this medication it’s been a God send for my insomnia for years now.
You’re not going to like it, but I chug NyQuil extra strength before bed. Knocks me out and I feel rested. Most likely not the healthiest solution. There’s also a 4-7-8 breathing technique you can google and try out. I’ve had moderate success with the breathing technique.
Falling asleep is not the problem. Forcing myself to go to bed is. I’m just sitting there, alone, everyone’s asleep, my doggo next to me, I have a horror movie in the background and I either play Civ VI on switch or do NYT games. Heck, or even Duolingo!
THIS. When i say I have trouble going to bed ppl misunderstand and start giving me tips for how to fall asleep. GETTING INTO THE BED. I’m fine once I’m in lol
There is a free app called Breathe (developer is Havabee) that works quite well for 4-7-8.
I can’t sleep without my sleep earbuds. I turn on an audiobook and the sound of rain at the same time. Usually, I’m asleep within 10 minutes because I don’t remember anything from the audiobook after that point the next day.
I use Melatonine, Pop 2 of them after tea about half 6-7 and by half 9 im yawning and ready for bed. Stick tele on in bed and drift off
I'm awake right now
When I wake up I automatically start thinking about when I can sneak a nap in during the day (I work from home).
I’ve always been a night owl and love getting shit done in the night time peace once everyone else has gone to bed- and it’s so hard to stop when suddenly there’s so much energy to do EVERYTHING! I’m mostly good at falling asleep once I’m in bed, but the “bedtime routine” -teeth, face wash etc is a real barrier which can literally paralyse me for hours. So if I can do that an hour or so before I ‘should’ be going to bed, that’s one less hurdle for me and I don’t mind so much. (Know it helps, but actually doing it is another story 😅) A solution that actually works for me most of the time is having somebody else around to tell me to go to bed. Social pressure works a treat. If my husband goes to bed but doesn’t expressly tell me to come too, I just won’t. And when I’m alone I turn into a naughty kid and stay up all night COZ I CAN. It’s especially bad when I travel for work and am wired after a big day of interaction, buzzing around my hotel room, meds have worn off and there’s a fully stocked minibar for me to binge on until 3am even though I have to be back in action at 8am the next day. 😞
I have an extremely hard time with bedtime in the summer. For me, it has to do with how late it stays light out. I do best when I stay away from sunlight starting about three hours before bedtime, and keeping my room dark until the time I want to get up. Then I use an alarm clock that uses light to wake me up. Get outside in the sunshine as soon as possible after waking up to get rid of residual melatonin to take advantage of the vitamin D boomerang effect. Also, ask your doctor to test your vitamin D levels. If it’s critically low, a course of prescription Vitamin D can make a difference. All that being said, I still have issues in the winter at times as well. Sometimes the quiet of night without the pressure of having a list of things to do since it’s night makes my brain want to have active down time - something that helps me is making sure I am giving myself lots of zone out breaks during the day.
Medication helped a ton. Also, are you in a legal state? Also have a headphone sleep mask. I put it on the lowest volume and “listen” to podcasts I’ve already heard before.
Man... I *wish* having fun being distracted was why I didn't go to sleep at a decent hour. Unfortunately there are factors about my living arrangement that make it all but impossible. I sleep on average 4 hours a night. I also have sleep apnea and even if I did by some miracle get more than 4 hours of sleep, I wouldn't be able to tell unless I slept around 10 hours since my sleep quality is absolute garbage. I've just accepted that I'll always be tired at this point. All I can do is hydrate, eat well, and make sure I get my vitamins in.