Sleep Treatment Options
For those who spend hours each night with thoughts bouncing and their body tossing, research suggests that taking a stimulant 45 minutes before bedtime improves sleep patterns in adults with attention deficit.
Prescription sleep medications are potentially habit-forming, and many physicians may recommend non-habit forming alternatives, including:
Melatonin
- Helps to set the circadian clock.
- Available without prescription at pharmacies and health food stores.
- Recommended dosage is 1 mg, though most doses sold over the counter are larger.
Periactin
- Works like Benadryl.
- Can reverse stimulant-induced appetite suppression.
Clonidine
- Treats the hyperactivity component of ADHD.
- When taken as 0.05 to 0.1 mg dose one hour before bedtime, exerts significant sedative effects for about four hours.
Antidepressants
- Can produce drowsiness the next day.
- Includes Trazadone (brand name Desyrel), 50 to 100 mg, and Mirtazapine (brand name Remeron), 15 mg.
QUICK TIP: Do you or your ADHD child experience problems with waking up and feeling fully alert? Try a two-alarm system.
- Place a first dose of stimulant and a glass of water at bedside.
- Set an alarm to go off one hour before the ADDer plans to rise.
- When the alarm rings, take the medication and return to sleep.
- When the second alarm rings, an hour later, the medication is approaching peak blood level, giving you a fighting chance to get out of bed and start the day.
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