Sweet Dreams: 10 Tips to Help Your Child with ADHD Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Improper amounts of sleep can harm a child’s functioning, lead to poor health, and weaken their immune system. Children who are sleep-deprived can also have mood disturbances. 

For kids with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, getting a good night's rest can be hard. They have a difficulty rate of falling asleep three times the rate of those who do not have this diagnosis. 

The following tips, though, can help you to get your ADHD kid to sleep at night.

The amount of sleep needed varies from child to child. These basic guidelines are averages of what is recommended for kids to properly function:

• Infants up to 1 year — 12 to 16 hours
• Ages 1 to 2 years — 11 to 14 hours
• Ages 3 to 5 years — 10 to 13 hours
• Ages 6 to 12 years — 9 to 12 hours
• Adolescents — 8 to 10 hours

A set bedtime helps kids to feel secure because it is consistent. Ideally, kids and adults should go to sleep and awaken at about the same time daily. This includes the weekend as well. If kids have an earlier rise time for school (or daycare), make sure their bedtime allows them to get a full rest at night.

Keep kids physically active when they get home from school. Mobile devices keep kids stationary, so encourage exercise outside or yardwork. Burning off energy after school will help them to feel tired when it's time to go to bed.

For kids who can't tell time, use a special clock that may change color at sleep times and wake times. For older kids, reward them for making the effort to go to bed at the right time. Don't punish kids for getting up out of the bed. Though it may be exhausting to keep taking them back to bed, walking them back will keep away negative associations with bedtime.

Kids' foods have a lot of sweets. Some sweets have caffeine. Caffeine causes restlessness in all ages. Monitor what your child eats. Offer them healthy snacks. Be mindful of how your kid's ADHD medication may affect their energy levels. Times may need to be adjusted for a good night's rest.

Longing for attention may contribute to kids being unsettled at bedtime. Spending some time with kids, asking about their day, or talking to them about common interests can help them to feel settled. For babies, a few minutes of cuddling and singing can make a big difference.  

Kids with ADHD are more likely to have nightmares, anxiety, and bedwetting. Though these relate directly to their medical condition, there are things parents can do to keep the associated nervousness down. Something as simple as stopping fluid intake an hour or so before bedtime can alleviate the need to go to the bathroom in their sleep.

You should try to do some things before bedtime to help your kids wind down. Reading a bedtime story, meditating, and stretching can help to calm and soothe them. If you try this and your child is still waking up groggy, check their mattress. Sometimes, a heavily worn mattress can contribute to a restless night.

All types of kids have a fear of the dark. Doctors recommend teaching kids coping statements and brave self-talk to help. Games such as flashlight treasure hunts can help kids who are afraid to disassociate darkness with negativity.

Don’t worry if your kid does not immediately respond to your coping techniques. Sometimes, these things take time. Some kids regress as they approach new milestones in their development. Trust your intuition regarding change as you both move forward.