How to help a child with ADHD to sleep
What is ADHD?
ADHD is a neurological or neurodevelopmental disorder. According to ADHD UK, individuals with ADHD show a consistent pattern of inattention (struggles with focus and concentration), hyperactivity and/or impulsivity. These behaviours significantly impact with day to day functioning and/or development
Therefore, there are thought to be 4 types of ADHD: -
1) Hyperactive
2) Impulsive
3) Inattentive
4) Combined – With all 3 types above.
Medication maybe prescribed to your child in order for them to manage their ADHD. Stimulants such as Ritalin have been shown to decrease impulsive behaviour and improve attention span.
Although any medication comes with its own side effects and one of those on the list is the inability to fall asleep.
You may have also been prescribed melatonin which can help your child to fall asleep but unfortunately not stay asleep. Which is why gentle and holistic sleep coaching is fundamental in supporting your child’s sleep.
How can ADHD affect your child’s sleep?
The connection between your child’s ADHD and their sleep is well known and documented, although there is still a need for further research in this field. It is very common for sleep challenges to include; bedtime insomnia/resistance (struggling to fall asleep at bedtime), night wakings, restless leg syndrome at night, bedwetting and therefore difficulty getting up in the morning.
3 key tips on how to improve your child with ADHD’s sleep
Sleep Hygiene
Start with improving your child’s sleep hygiene. For example, try to make sure your child’s bedroom is tidy, clean, and essentially boring. Where possible ensure that their room is just for sleep, and remove or put away all non-sleep items such as screens, toys etc. Also, set the temperature to be 16-18 degrees (UK), it is a lot easier to fall asleep in a cooler room
Exercise
Ensure your child has a high level of exercise through the day, children with ADHD typically have an excessive need for movement. For children under 5 years, it is recommended that they have 3 hours physical exertion every day. Bear in mind if your child is older than 5 and has ADHD, they may need a lot more exercise than 3 hours per day. Also be mindful of the type of exercises, a lot of children with ADHD are very alert, therefore exercises such as running are going to make them further alert making it further difficult to fall asleep. Try exercises such organising activities such as, cross fit for kids, a martial art, or even just long walks in nature.
Wind down time
Before starting bedtime routine, try to implement a wind down time. It may be useful to include, kids’ yoga (Cosmic kids is our favourite), audiobooks, calming sensory activities such as deep pressure massage, theta wave music, belly breathing.
There are my 3 key tips to improve your ADHD child’s sleep. If you are unsure of what else to try, then book your free sleep consultation to discuss your child’s sleep in more detail.
