ADHD and Sleep: Why Won’t My Child Fall Asleep — and What Can Help

If you're a parent or caregiver of a child with ADHD and bedtime feels like a daily struggle, please know you're not alone. Sleep is often one of the most sensitive topics for families — especially within the neurodivergent community.

Sleep is essential for emotional regulation, learning, and overall wellbeing. But when a child lives with ADHD, disrupted nights often become the norm. The good news? Understanding what’s behind these challenges opens the door to gentler, more realistic, and respectful solutions — tailored to your child’s unique needs.

What Does ADHD Have to Do with Sleep?

Research shows that between 50% and 70% of children with ADHD experience some form of sleep difficulty (Owens et al., 2005). This might look like:

• Resistance at bedtime

• Taking a long time to fall asleep

• Waking multiple times during the night

• Restless or very light sleep

• Feeling tired or drowsy during the day

According to the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, these challenges are far more common in children with ADHD than in their neurotypical peers.

And here’s something important to hold close: it’s not your child’s fault — and it’s not yours either. A brain with ADHD simply works differently, and that includes how it approaches rest and sleep.

Why Is Falling Asleep So Hard?

There’s no single reason — and none of it has to do with laziness, lack of discipline, or “bad habits.” The relationship between ADHD and sleep is influenced by several biological and neurological factors.

A Delayed Body Clock

Many children with ADHD have what’s known as an evening chronotype — their bodies naturally produce melatonin (the sleep hormone) later in the evening. A study in Sleep Medicine Reviews (2013) confirmed a significant delay in melatonin release among children with ADHD, which makes it harder to fall asleep at conventional times.

A Mind That Never Stops

Even when the body is tired, the mind often keeps racing. Your child may be replaying the day, worrying, or hyperfocused on something they love. This mental hyperactivity can make slowing down for sleep feel almost impossible.

Medication That May Interfere

Some stimulant medications — such as methylphenidate — can affect sleep, especially if taken later in the day. A Journal of Clinical Psychiatry review (2016) found that, for some children, stimulant medication may reduce total sleep time and increase the time it takes to fall asleep.

If you suspect medication might be playing a role, always consult your child’s doctor before making changes. Small timing adjustments can sometimes make a big difference.

The ADHD-Sleep Cycle: The Less They Sleep, the More Wired They Feel

Here’s the tricky part: poor sleep isn’t just a symptom of ADHD — it can also make ADHD symptoms worse.

Research from the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry (2009) found that sleep deprivation can lead to impulsivity, inattention, and irritability — symptoms that closely mirror ADHD itself.

In other words, ADHD can disrupt sleep, and disrupted sleep can intensify ADHD. It’s a cycle that can feel hard to break — but it can be broken, with empathy, understanding, and the right support.

Gentle, Science-Backed Strategies to Support Sleep

Thankfully, there are simple, nurturing, and evidence-based ways to support children with ADHD in finding more peaceful nights. Here are a few to start with:

1. A Predictable Bedtime Routine — Tailored to Your Child

While all children benefit from routine, those with ADHD often need it even more. Predictable steps at bedtime help the brain and body understand that it’s time to wind down, creating a sense of safety and structure.

Studies have shown that children with consistent bedtime routines fall asleep faster, sleep more soundly, and wake less during the night (Sleep Health, 2015). For children with ADHD, repetition and predictability act as anchors for the nervous system, encouraging calm and self-regulation.

Gentle tip: Create a soothing routine that works for your child — perhaps a warm bath, brushing teeth, quiet story time, calming music, and soft lighting. Consistency is key, even on weekends.

2. Less Stimulation, More Calm

As bedtime approaches, the brain and body need time to slow down. Loud noises, active play, bright lights, and screens can all delay this process — especially in children with ADHD, whose nervous systems are more sensitive.

Blue light from screens can suppress melatonin production, delaying sleep. For children with ADHD, this effect is often stronger: evening screen use has been linked to greater hyperactivity and impulsivity the following day (Journal of Attention Disorders, 2020).

Gentle tip: About an hour before bed, begin a “wind-down routine.” Turn off screens, lower lights, and offer calm activities such as drawing, colouring, puzzles, or quiet connection time. These small changes can make a big difference.

3. Helping the Mind Slow Down

That “I can’t stop thinking” feeling can be especially intense for children with ADHD. Even when they’re tired, their thoughts may keep spinning.

Relaxation and mindfulness techniques can help calm the mind and prepare for sleep (Journal of Child and Family Studies, 2018).

Gentle tip: Try exploring what works best for your child:

• 4-4-8 breathing — inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4, exhale for 8.

• A “thought jar” or “worry box” — draw or write worries and set them aside for tomorrow.

• Guided meditation stories designed for children (many are freely available online).

These techniques help children acknowledge their thoughts without needing to fix everything before bed.

4. A Sensory-Friendly Sleep Space

Children with ADHD often have heightened sensory awareness — to light, sound, textures, or temperature. What feels fine to others can be overwhelming for them.

A study in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy (2014) found that sensory adjustments such as weighted blankets, white noise, and warm lighting significantly improved sleep quality for children with ADHD and autism.

Gentle tip: Observe your child’s sensory responses and make subtle changes:

• Soft lighting or blackout curtains

• Gentle white noise

• Calming scents (like lavender — used safely)

• Seamless, comfortable pyjamas

• Weighted blankets (only with professional guidance)

Even small environmental tweaks can have a powerful impact on rest.

5. Medication Adjustments and Holistic Support

If your child takes medication for ADHD and sleep has become more difficult, speak with their prescribing doctor. Adjusting the dosage or timing can sometimes improve sleep without compromising treatment.

A Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry meta-analysis (2016) found that while stimulants can delay sleep onset for some children, these effects can be effectively managed through personalised support.

Gentle tip: Sleep support often works best as a team effort. Involving your GP, paediatrician, psychologist, occupational therapist, or sleep consultant can help create a plan that truly fits your child — and your family.

A Gentle Invitation to Personalised Care

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to sleep — especially in the world of neurodiversity. Every child with ADHD is wonderfully unique, with their own rhythms, sensitivities, and ways of experiencing the world.

What works for one may not work for another — and that’s okay. The path forward simply calls for patience, compassion, and the right support.

Sleep isn’t just biological. It’s also emotional — a space for connection, safety, and restoration. And even with ADHD, peaceful and consistent nights are absolutely possible.

If you’d like to understand more deeply what lies behind your baby’s changing sleep patterns — and how to support them through each phase — the Infant Sleep Academy is here to help. Our L.O.V.E. Method will guide your family with science, empathy and gentleness, helping you rediscover rest as it’s meant to be: natural, respectful and full of love.

By Mariana Friend

Infant Sleep Specialist, founder of the Infant Sleep Academy, and creator of the L.O.V.E. Method — a compassionate, science-based approach that honours each baby’s unique rhythm and nurtures rest through connection.