ADHD Medications and Sleep Problems: Problem Solving Ideas

Stimulants are very effective at treating ADHD, but there can also be some side effects. One common side effect is sleep problems. If your child has this side effect, there are things you can do to help.

Here are some ideas of what you can try:

• Create a relaxing bedtime routine. Your routine could include your child taking a warm bath and then reading to your child (even if they can read themselves it is more comforting and a good relationship builder for the parent to be the reader as long as they will go along with it).
• Avoid stimulating activities before bed, like watching TV, listening to loud music or playing active games.
• Try a white noise machine or radio on static in his/her bedroom.
• If sleep problems continue, talk to your doctor about giving your child his/her ADHD medications earlier in the day. Your doctor could also reduce the dose.
• If your child is taking a long-acting stimulant medication, switching to a short-acting medication could improve sleep.
• In some instances, medications can be prescribed to help children with sleep problems. Melatonin one hour before bed is a non-prescription sleep aide that is not habit forming. Also, you may want to ask your doctor about low dose clonidine which is approved for ADHD itself and can induce sleep without being habit forming.

The non-stimulant atomoxetine (Strattera) can also be used to treat ADHD, but could also lead to drowsiness during the day. Here are some ideas for responding to drowsiness when taking non-stimulant atomoxetine (Strattera):

• Talk to your doctor about possibly giving the medication at night, rather than during the day.
• Talk to your doctor about changing the medication dosage.