Sleep (or lack of) and ADHD
It’s no surprise that nearly everyone with ADHD seems to be affected by sleep problems. Typically, it’s difficulty in falling asleep or falling back to sleep in the middle of the night. Why is this no surprise?
Because I’ve yet to meet anyone with ADHD who does not have a….hyperactive BRAIN. We simply cannot stop the intrusive thoughts and worries when our head hits the pillow. In fact, it’s almost a signal to start thinking and worrying about yesterday, today and tomorrow. And the next day and the day after that. We simply have a miserable time trying to shut OFF our brain so that we can drift off into a blissful sleep.
Sound familiar?
In our house, both my daughter and I have major issues with falling asleep. She needs to take medication just to slow herself down in order to stay in bed, let alone fall asleep. Often, she doesn’t drift off until hours later.
I need to watch TV in order to unwind and have to work on emptying my brain of worries and ruminations (that is for another article!).
So I was curious about a product I discovered called the NightWave® Sleep Assistant.
Since I’m familiar with meditation and how certain types of breathing can be calming, I was attracted to how this particular device works. You simply turn on a little black box, and a blue light projects rhythmically onto your ceiling or wall. Then you match your breathing to the gentle ebb and flow of the light until you drift off to sleep. Simple as that.
My daughter, the sleepless one, has been using NightWave for a week now and this is what she says about it: “Mom, even if I try to fight the sleep, I can’t!” Now isn’t that music to my ears??
With those words, let me say that I’m now endorsing the NightWave. It works for her and it’s a great non-medication option for those who need help in falling asleep. And…it works for adults and children!
Next week is Sleep Awareness Week, so to raise awareness of sleep issues and how it relates to ADHD, I reached out to the company behind NightWave and they graciously agreed to offer a discounted rate to my readers- 20% off the regular price of $49.95- now through March 12, 2010. (Editor's note: Special discount has expired)
In addition, they have generously offered to donate 5% of all sales that week to ADDA, the Attention Deficit Disorder Association (www.add.org). While the link for the discounted rate will only remain effective through March 12, the 5% donation will remain in place through 2010, so please help us spread the word.
Order your NightWave today and AND get a good night’s sleep! What could be better than that?
Check it out HERE .
Sweet dreams!
TerryComment
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Comment by Judi Nicholson on March 25, 2010 at 8:48pm -
I have always been a problem sleeper since I was a child. I would walk the house at 3 AM refusing to go to sleep and it continues into adult hood. I still have problems sleeping so I take Ambien or Benadryl to sleep. I have tried exercizing , drinking milk , tea and nothing helped. I am shoked when I find I can sleep without meds sometime I am jsut palin exhausted. I find it also so hard to rise in the morning I have to set a clock across the room so i have to get out of bed to turn it off. Then I won't return baavack to bed. I have been on time recently to work because I get my stuff ready the night before and my husband make my breaakfast and lunch so I couldn't ask for more. It takes awhile to wake up but i have 40 minutes to do so On the way to work. Good night I have to get ready for work tommorrow (Judi)
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Comment by Meegan Peebles on March 18, 2010 at 11:12am
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Yes I have always been like this! It has been horrible just trying to function on a daily basis with lack of sleep. Somehow I still kept going anyway! I recently started taking sleep aides; the problem is they always leave me feeling sluggish in the morning if I dont take them before 9pm and the problem with that is: I have other stuff going on in the house and I usually dont get to bed til around 11pm since I dont get off til 7pm. So this would be an excellent resource for those who suffer from sleeplessness. I am looking fwd to purchasing one! Very Very Soon!
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Comment by David on March 2, 2010 at 1:17pm -
I've always had unpredictable sleep patterns, not insomnia necessarily, but just getting to the bed in the first place. About five or six years ago I discovered that reading, and some barely audible classical music (really anything as long as it's relaxing and not loud enough for my mind to focus on attentively) works like a charm. The trick is not trying to read something that gets you really excited and leads you from one cliffhanger to another. At the same time, it needs to be simple enough that you don't have to re-read the last five pages the next night because you were half asleep (forget Dostoevsky and Sartre!). Harry Potter did the trick, and I've been having luck with any number of classic sci-fi and fantasy novels. I'm usually lucky if I get more than two pages read before I have to roll over and turn out the light. Oh, that's the other thing, dim lighting (not so dim it hurts your eyes, but focused enough you only focus on your book and not the shadows in the corner), and it shouldn't take more effort than rolling over to finally go to sleep. Also, a pshychologist I know recommends turning the TV off at least a half-hour before you try to go to sleep. The flickering images actually stimulate the frontal lobe. It's a good way to quiet the mind when things are overwhelming (by focusing on the stimulating images instead of stray thoughts), but it takes time for you brain to ramp down again.
Nowadays, keeping up with my three-year old daughter means I have the opposite problem, I have trouble staying awake, no matter how much sleep I get.
© 2012 Created by Terry Matlen.
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