Sleep Strategies for Adults with ADHD
By MARGARITA TARTAKOVSKY, M.S.Associate Editor
Sleep disturbances are common among adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).“I don’t know anyone with ADHD who does not have an issue with sleep,” said Roberto Olivardia, Ph.D, a psychologist who treats ADHD and a clinical instructor in the department of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.
In fact, in the past, sleep disturbances were considered as a criterion for defining ADHD, according to psychiatrist William W. Dodson, MD, in the book Gender Issues and AD/HD: Research, Diagnosis and Treatment. However, they “were dropped because they were felt to be too nonspecific.”
Adults with ADHD have a range of sleep issues. They struggle with getting to sleep, waking up in the morning and staying alert during the day. They also struggle with sleep disorders, such as
