Sleep deprivation is when you lack the amount of total rest sleep per day. This may have a bunch of side effects on your body such as excessive daytime sleepiness, being moody, hunger, etc. Did you know that there is a possibility that this can also cause ADHD?  Studies have shown that there is a similar relation to both disorders.  To further understand this, we must first know what ADHD is.

Sleep deprivation is when you lack the amount of total rest sleep per day. This may have a bunch of side effects on your body such as excessive daytime sleepiness, being moody, hunger, etc. Did you know that there is a possibility that this can also cause ADHD?  Studies have shown that there is a similar relation to both disorders.  To further understand this, we must first know what ADHD is.

What is ADHD?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD is a chronic neurodevelopmental disorder that affects children. The symptoms can continue even if the child has reached adulthood and this occurs in more than three-quarters of the overall cases. ADHD can be identified when your child seems to have abnormal actions such as seeking too much attention, is impulsive, and is hyper active most of the time.There are three types of ADHD that you should be aware of because usually, you’d only be able to tell if your child is too hyperactive or even out of control. However, one of the three types of ADHD doesn’t have these symptoms.

ADHD Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive type: This type will have symptoms of hyperactivity and feel the urge to move around constantly. The child may also struggle with impulse control.ADHD Predominantly Inattentive type: Children with this disorder may have trouble paying attention and are easily distracted. However, the child will not have the other symptoms which are being impulsive or hyperactive.
Combined type of ADHD: This is the most common type of ADHD which will include all the symptoms of the other types of ADHD.

Studies on Sleep Deprivation and ADHD

The evidence is studied using the levels of melatonin, this is a hormone that gives us the urge to sleep. The melatonin levels in people with ADHD rises higher in the evening than people without the disorder. This report is presented at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology Conference in Paris.Most people with ADHD are more likely to sleep later than people without the disorder, this leads to less sleep time overall, said by the lead author, Dr. Sandra Kooij, an associate professor of psychiatry at VU Medical Center in Amsterdam. That sleep loss Kooij said, “seemed to increase the severity of ADHD symptoms.”

Experts have said that the theory is not far-fetched. Researchers have seen pieces of evidence in other brain diseases such as bipolar disorder. When the patient has straightened their biological clock, it can improve the symptoms, said Brant Hasler, a circadian rhythm expert. Hasler has looked at the impact of sleep on a variety of psychiatric disorders including ADHD. He is unaffiliated with the new research. Hasler said several small studies have suggested that light therapy not only corrects the biological clock but can also diminish ADHD symptoms.

Overall it may help to get more sleep, “The timing of when you sleep also matters,” said Chris Colwell, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and director of the Laboratory of Circadian and Sleep Medicine.

The best thing to do if you have sleep deprivation is to try to change your biological clock and learn to try to sleep and rest efficiently. Colwell suggests doing the following:
• Dimming the lights earlier in the evening.• Exercising earlier in the day.• Eating a small meal for dinner.• Forgoing the use of electronic devices as you’re winding down.