Sleep Disorders Causes & Risk Factors The Relationship Between ADHD and Sleep Understanding the Interplay Between Disorders with Similar Symptoms By Brandon Peters, MD Brandon Peters, MD Facebook Twitter Brandon Peters, MD, is a board-certified neurologist and sleep medicine specialist. Learn about our editorial process Updated on March 10, 2020 Medically reviewed by Keri Peterson, MD Medically reviewed by Keri Peterson, MD Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Keri Peterson, MD, is board-certified in internal medicine and has her own private practice on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. She holds appointments at Lenox Hill Hospital and Mount Sinai Medical Center. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Definition ADHD and Sleep Disorders Stimulants Treatment What is the relationship between attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and sleep? Children who have sleep disorders and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may have similar symptoms, such as inattentiveness, overactivity, and restlessness. The interplay between these two disorders of ADHD and sleep disorders is significant and one may be misdiagnosed as the other because of the overlap of symptoms. PeopleImages / Getty Images Defining ADHD ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting about 10% of children and 4% of adults. Those with ADHD often experience a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with their social, occupational, or academic functioning. Each of these criteria may manifest in different ways, including: Inattention: careless mistakes, short attention span, poor listening skills, distractibility, forgetfulness, procrastination, and disorganization.Hyperactivity and Impulsivity: fidgeting, frequently moving, restlessness, noisy, always "on the go," excessive talking, disruptive Relationship of ADHD to Sleep Disorders There are many sleep disorders that may affect children. Most of the disorders found in adults can also occur in children, including insomnia, bruxism, periodic limb movement syndrome, somniloquy, obstructive sleep apnea, somnambulism, and circadian rhythm disorders. Children more commonly experience night terrors than adults do, however. Children who have ADHD may be expected to have disrupted sleep. There is a behavioral component to sleep, and parenting difficulties often will extend to bedtime in kids with ADHD. In addition, there may be psychiatric symptoms, such as anxiety or depression, that can disrupt sleep. Studies have consistently shown higher rates of sleep disorders among children with ADHD. An estimated 25% to 50% of people who have ADHD also have sleep problems. These have enormous and varying impacts on family dynamics, school success and other health issues. Restless Little Legs Children with ADHD will more commonly complain of symptoms consistent with periodic limb movement syndrome (PLMS), or as it is sometimes called, restless legs syndrome (RLS). These symptoms include uncomfortable sensations, such as bugs crawling on the skin, which are relieved by movement. This phenomenon is worse in the evening or at night while at rest and involves an irresistible urge to move. Studies have shown that 20% to 25% of people with ADHD have RLS, compared to just 1.5% to 2% of controls. The number of disruptive movements at night are strongly associated with the degree of hyperactivity during the day. Snoring, Sleep Apnea and Hyperactivity Children may have difficulty breathing at night, ranging from mild snoring to full sleep apnea. The causes include: Enlarged tonsils and adenoids Craniofacial abnormalities Obesity Neuromuscular disease Allergies Again, children with these sleep difficulties are not usually excessively sleepy. Rather, they will have bedwetting, sweating, developmental delay and learning or behavior difficulties. The relationship between the number of breathing disruptions and drops in oxygen levels in the blood and hyperactivity has not been established; however, one study suggests that 81% of habitually snoring children who have ADHD (up to 33% of children with ADHD) could have their ADHD eliminated if their habitual snoring and other sleep-related breathing disorders were effectively treated. Are Sleep Disorders More Common in ADHD? Up to 74% of parents report sleep-related problems in their child with ADHD. In reviewing the available medical literature, there are trends in the data that suggest some sleep disorders may be more common in ADHD. When comparing children with ADHD who are not being treated with medication to children without ADHD, there are a few trends that may prove to be true: Most studies show no difference in total sleep time or the time it takes to fall asleep Most studies show increased restlessness and periodic limb movements during sleep in the kids with ADHD The percent of time spent in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep may be decreased in kids with ADHD The occurrence of parasomnias, nightmares, and bedwetting may be increased in kids with ADHD Role of Stimulants The use of prescription drugs, such as Ritalin (methylphenidate), to treat ADHD may add another level of complexity to the issue. Stimulants are often used to treat ADHD, as well as narcolepsy and chronic fatigue syndrome. Parents of children treated with stimulants perceive a higher prevalence of sleep problems, including longer sleep latency, worse sleep efficiency, and shorter sleep duration. These effects are especially noted when doses are too close to bedtime. How these medications may affect other aspects of sleep is not well understood. The Importance of Treatment Untreated ADHD leads to significant impairment in interpersonal, vocational and cognitive domains, including intelligence quotient scores and achievement test scores that are lower than controls. It is important that children who experience inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity be evaluated for ADHD and, as appropriate, sleep disorders. 13 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Spruyt K, Gozal D. Sleep disturbances in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Expert Rev Neurother. 2011;11(4):565-577. doi:10.1586/ern.11.7 Xu G, Strathearn L, Liu B, Yang B, Bao W. Twenty-Year Trends in Diagnosed Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Among US Children and Adolescents, 1997-2016. JAMA Netw Open. 2018;1(4):e181471. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.1471 Kessler RC, Adler L, Barkley R, et al. The prevalence and correlates of adult ADHD in the United States: results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Am J Psychiatry. 2006;163(4):716-723. doi:10.1176/ajp.2006.163.4.716 American Psychiatric Association. Neurodevelopmental Disorders. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2013. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.dsm01 Van Horn NL, Street M. Night Terrors. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island, FL: StatPearls Publishing; 2019. Wajszilber D, Santiseban JA, Gruber R. Sleep disorders in patients with ADHD: impact and management challenges. Nat Sci Sleep. 2018;10:453-480. doi:10.2147/NSS.S163074 Gagliano A, Aricò I, Calarese T, et al. Restless Leg Syndrome in ADHD children: levetiracetam as a reasonable therapeutic option. Brain Dev. 2011;33(6):480-486. doi:10.1016/j.braindev.2010.09.008 Carter KA, Hathaway NE, Lettieri CF. Common sleep disorders in children. Am Fam Physician. 2014;89(5):368-377. Chervin RD, Dillon JE, Bassetti C, Ganoczy DA, Pituch KJ. Symptoms of sleep disorders, inattention, and hyperactivity in children. Sleep. 1997;20(12):1185-1192. doi:10.1093/sleep/20.12.1185 Noble GS, O’Laughlin L, Brubaker B. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and sleep disturbances: consideration of parental influence. Behav Sleep Med. 2011;10(1):41-53. doi:10.1080/15402002.2012.636274 Mignot EJM. A practical guide to the therapy of narcolepsy and hypersomnia syndromes. Neurotherapeutics. 2012;9(4):739-752. doi:10.1007/s13311-012-0150-9 Kidwell KM, Van Dyk TR, Lundahl A, Nelson TD. Stimulant Medications and Sleep for Youth With ADHD: A Meta-analysis. Pediatrics. 2015;136(6):1144-1153. doi:10.1542/peds.2015-1708 Arnold LE, Hodgkins P, Kahle J, Madhoo M, Kewley G. Long-Term Outcomes of ADHD: Academic Achievement and Performance. J Atten Disord. 2020;24(1):73-85. doi:10.1177/1087054714566076 Additional Reading Hvolby A. Associations of sleep disturbance with ADHD: implications for treatment. Atten Defic Hyperact Disord. 2015;7(1):1-18. doi:10.1007/s12402-014-0151-0 Vaidyanathan S, Shah H, Gayal T. Sleep Disturbances in Children with Attention - Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Comparative Study with Healthy Siblings. J Can Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2016;25(3):145-151. By Brandon Peters, MD Brandon Peters, MD, is a board-certified neurologist and sleep medicine specialist. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit