Sleep Disorder Related to ADHD
ADHD is linked with a variety of sleep problems, and up to half of the people with ADHD have a persistent sleep disorder. A significant number of people with ADHD report having less refreshing sleep, feeling tired on awakening, difficulty getting up, significantly more daytime sleepiness, increased numbers of nightmares, sleep apnea, and restless legs syndrome.
In a study conducted in Paris,France by Cortese et. al., found that children with ADHD had higher rates of daytime sleepiness than children without ADHD. Another study from Golan et. al., found that 50% of children with ADHD had signs of sleep disordered breathing, compared to only 22% of children without ADHD. Research also suggests that restless legs syndrome and periodic leg movement syndrome are also common in ADHD.
Sleep studies indicated that unmedicated adults with ADHD exhibited sleep disturbances, including reduced sleep quality , and numerous studies of adults treated with stimulants for ADHD suggest that, depending on the sleep parameters assessed, certain sleep parameters were improved or at least not worsened by treatment with stimulants.
Adults usually become sluggish when tired while children tend to overcompensate and speed up. For this reason, sleep deprivation is sometimes confused with ADHD in children. Children may also be moody, emotionally explosive, and/or aggressive as a result of sleepiness. In a study published in the Journal of Sleep Research of 2,463 children aged 6-15, children with sleep problems were more likely to be inattentive, hyperactive, impulsive, and display oppositional behaviors.
Sleep problems are also commonly seen in adults with ADHD. However, there is possible confusion diagnostically as to whether the symptoms are because of a primary hypersomnia or ADHD. Comparing adults with narcolepsy, idiopathic hypersomnia, and AHDH, researchers in the Netherlands found a high percentage of symptom overlap, suggesting the possibility that adults could be misdiagnosed as having ADHD if narcolepsy or idiopathic hypersomnia are present.
Because sleep symptoms are present in adults with ADHD, and sleep disturbances are often co-exist with ADHD in adults, physicians should look for sleep disturbances and primary sleep disorders (eg, restless leg syndrome and sleep apnea) in adults with ADHD. It may be prudent to officially monitor sleep after the initiation of therapy for ADHD.
If you are having ADHD symptoms and sleep problems, then see your healthcare provider or a physician who specializes in sleep medicine.
MedicalAssessment.com |
