CONTENTS
(1) Overview
(2) Link to more information about delayed sleep phase
(3) Articles for the general public
(4) Research articles
(1) Overview
Difficulties with sleep are very common among people with ADHD. Research suggests that more than 75% of people with ADHD have a circadian rhythm that is delayed (what is commonly referred to as a "night owl" tendency). This makes it more difficult to go to bed and get up at conventional times, which contributes to inadequate sleep, irregular sleep-wake patterns, and insomnia. Bright light therapy in the morning, limiting light exposure in the evening, and regular use of appropriately timed low-dose melatonin has been shown to advance the sleep phase and improve ADHD symptoms.
(2) Link to more information about delayed sleep phase
Delayed Sleep Wake Phase Disorder
This page provides more information about this disorder and effective treatments for it.
(4) Research articles about ADHD and sleep
Baird, A. L., Coogan, A. N., Siddiqui, A., Donev, R. M., & Thome, J. (2012). Adult attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is associated with alterations in circadian rhythms at the behavioural, endocrine and molecular levels. Molecular psychiatry, 17(10), 988–995. https://doi.org/10.1038/mp.2011.149
Campbell, P. D., Miller, A. M., & Woesner, M. E. (2017). Bright Light Therapy: Seasonal Affective Disorder and Beyond. The Einstein journal of biology and medicine : EJBM, 32, E13–E25.
Coogan, A. N., & McGowan, N. M. (2017). A systematic review of circadian function, chronotype and chronotherapy in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders, 9(3), 129–147. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12402-016-0214-5
Coogan, A. N., Baird, A. L., Popa-Wagner, A., & Thome, J. (2016). Circadian rhythms and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: The what, the when and the why. Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry, 67, 74–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnpbp.2016.01.006
Coogan, A. N., Schenk, M., Palm, D., Uzoni, A., Grube, J., Tsang, A. H., Kolbe, I., McGowan, N. M., Wandschneider, R., Colla, M., Oster, H., Thome, J., & Faltraco, F. (2019). Impact of adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and medication status on sleep/wake behavior and molecular circadian rhythms. Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, 44(7), 1198–1206. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-019-0327-6
Gabay, L., Miller, P., Alia-Klein, N., & Lewin, M. P. (2022). Circadian Effects on Attention and Working Memory in College Students With Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Symptoms. Frontiers in psychology, 13, 851502. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.851502
Fargason, R. E., Fobian, A. D., Hablitz, L. M., Paul, J. R., White, B. A., Cropsey, K. L., & Gamble, K. L. (2017). Correcting delayed circadian phase with bright light therapy predicts improvement in ADHD symptoms: A pilot study. Journal of psychiatric research, 91, 105–110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2017.03.004
Hvolby A. (2015). Associations of sleep disturbance with ADHD: implications for treatment. Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders, 7(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12402-014-0151-0
Kooij, J. J., & Bijlenga, D. (2013). The circadian rhythm in adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: current state of affairs. Expert review of neurotherapeutics, 13(10), 1107–1116. https://doi.org/10.1586/14737175.2013.836301
Korman, M., Palm, D., Uzoni, A., Faltraco, F., Tucha, O., Thome, J., & Coogan, A. N. (2020). ADHD 24/7: Circadian clock genes, chronotherapy and sleep/wake cycle insufficiencies in ADHD. The world journal of biological psychiatry : the official journal of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry, 21(3), 156–171. https://doi.org/10.1080/15622975.2018.1523565
Lunsford-Avery, J. R., & Kollins, S. H. (2018). Editorial Perspective: Delayed circadian rhythm phase: a cause of late-onset attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder among adolescents?. Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines, 59(12), 1248–1251. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.12956
Pail, G., Huf, W., Pjrek, E., Winkler, D., Willeit, M., Praschak-Rieder, N., & Kasper, S. (2011). Bright-light therapy in the treatment of mood disorders. Neuropsychobiology, 64(3), 152–162. https://doi.org/10.1159/000328950
Rybak, Y. E., McNeely, H. E., Mackenzie, B. E., Jain, U. R., & Levitan, R. D. (2006). An open trial of light therapy in adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 67(10), 1527–1535. https://doi.org/10.4088/jcp.v67n1006
Snitselaar, M. A., Smits, M. G., van der Heijden, K. B., & Spijker, J. (2017). Sleep and Circadian Rhythmicity in Adult ADHD and the Effect of Stimulants. Journal of attention disorders, 21(1), 14–26. https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054713479663
Schwartz, R. S., & Olds, J. (2015). The psychiatry of light. Harvard review of psychiatry, 23(3), 188–194. https://doi.org/10.1097/HRP.0000000000000078
van Andel, E., Bijlenga, D., Vogel, S. W. N., Beekman, A. T. F., & Kooij, J. J. S. (2022). Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome in Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial on the Effects of Chronotherapy on Sleep. Journal of biological rhythms, 37(6), 673–689. https://doi.org/10.1177/07487304221124659
Van Veen, M. M., Kooij, J. J., Boonstra, A. M., Gordijn, M. C., & Van Someren, E. J. (2010). Delayed circadian rhythm in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and chronic sleep-onset insomnia. Biological psychiatry, 67(11), 1091–1096. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.12.032
Wynchank, D. S., Bijlenga, D., Lamers, F., Bron, T. I., Winthorst, W. H., Vogel, S. W., Penninx, B. W., Beekman, A. T., & Kooij, J. S. (2016). ADHD, circadian rhythms and seasonality. Journal of psychiatric research, 81, 87–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2016.06.018