People with ADHD are at a heightened risk of developing sleep disorders and often experience troubles falling or staying asleep. Because of this, many people feel drowsiness during the day and may even start to feel stressed about sleeping. This stress can actually make insomnia worse, causing an even more agitated sleep-wake schedule. A circadian rhythm is a 24-hour cycle that the human body follows through physical, mental, and behavioral changes. People with ADHD experience sleep issues because of a delay in their circadian rhythm, which results in delayed melatonin production. Unfortunately, lack of sleep can cause many uncomfortable symptoms such as irritability, restlessness, distractibility, etc., which are all symptoms of ADHD (Pacheco).
Due to the highly technological world we live in today, there is no doubt that the amount of screen time the average person consumes per day has increased. This continuous stimulation from electronic devices can actually worsen ADHD symptoms, especially concentration. Children, specifically, receive more benefits from spending time outside being active than they do sitting in front of a screen for multiple hours at a time. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics has suggested that no child under two years old should watch any television or other electronic media whatsoever and that children above that age should only consume around two hours daily. While the intense noise and images on electronic devices do not cause ADHD, they can exacerbate the symptoms of a person with the disorder, and affect their overall focus and productivity (“Learn the Triggers”).