70 percent of adults with ADHD spend at least one hour trying to fall asleep each night. These mobile apps can help you slow a racing brain, stay asleep, and wake up on time.
Woman with ADHD is sleepless and stares at her phone in bed.
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Sleep and ADHD
Sleep problems are common for adults with ADHD. According to one study, 70 percent of adults with ADHD spend more than one hour trying to fall asleep at night. That’s a lot of tossing and turning! When counting sheep doesn’t do the trick (which is always), flip through our list of top sleep-aid apps and start downloading a better night’s rest.
Ambient sounds help a lot of adults with ADHD relax and fall asleep by blocking out the noisy distractions around them—and in their brains.
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White Noise
Ambient sounds help a lot of adults with ADHD relax and fall asleep by blocking out noisy distractions in the world — and in their brains. White Noise (iOS, Android; $0.99) lets you select from more than 40 ambient sounds that signal your brain to produce calming alpha waves. The options include the old standbys (Ocean, Streams, and Rain Storms) and some unusual sounds, like Tibetan Singing Bowl and Cat Purring. People with ADHD who chill out best with manmade sounds can choose Clothes Dryer, Fan, Vacuum, or Washer.
Let your obsessive ADHD thoughts drift away as you lay back, listen, and enjoy falling asleep with the Relax Melodies app
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Relax Melodies
Let your obsessive ADHD thoughts drift away as you lay back, listen, and enjoy falling asleep with the Relax Melodies app (iOS, Android; free). Select sounds and melodies that you like and combine them into your own unique mix. Save your favorite mixes to use over and over again. Not just a sleep aid, this app can be used to help you focus on a big project at work, drown out loud noises, or simply relax.
Find your way to dreamland with this guided-meditation app.
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Deep Sleep with Andrew Johnson
Many individuals with ADHD have trouble relaxing and therefore find it difficult to switch off their brains and fall deeply asleep. But after a few Deep Sleep therapy (iOS, Android; $2.99) guided-meditation sessions with personal coach Andrew Johnson, you'll learn how to turn off the endless stream of thoughts and get a good night's rest.
Some sleep apps seem to play the same soundtrack on an endless loop.
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Pzizz Sleep
Some sleep apps play the same soundtrack on an endless loop. Mix up your ambient sound options with Pzizz Sleep (iOS; free). Choose inspirational words and music, or music only, set a duration (anywhere from 10 minutes to 10 hours), and press "Start" — and Pzizz's structured algorithm will create a unique soundtrack designed to lull you to sleep.
It’s 3 a.m. and you’re hyperfocused on a BuzzFeed quiz instead of getting some much needed shuteye. Sound familiar? Sometimes falling asleep isn’t the problem, it’s the getting to bed part that gives you trouble
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To Bed
It's 3 a.m. and you're hyperfocused on a BuzzFeed quiz. Sound familiar? Sometimes falling asleep isn't the problem, it's the getting to bed part that gives you trouble. That's where To Bed (iOS; free) comes in. Based on information about your age and wake up times, To Bed reminds you when you should start preparing to hit the sack. We suggest you listen.
No need to manage multiple apps, SleepBot is an all-in-one sleep tracker, smart alarm, and ambient sound machine.
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SleepBot
No need to manage multiple apps; SleepBot (iOS; free) is an all-in-one sleep tracker, smart alarm, and ambient sound machine. Listen to soothing ambient sounds as you fall asleep, then wake up gradually using the multi-alarm alert function — perfect for anyone who abuses the snooze button. With its movement- and sound-tracking functionality, also learn what's waking you up in the middle of the night.
Waking up is a challenge for many people with ADHD, but not with Sleep Cycle
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Sleep Cycle
As you sleep, you cycle through light, deep, and REM phases. To feel refreshed and rested, it is best to wake during a light phase. Sleep Cycle (iOS, Android; free) monitors your movements and wakes you up at the perfect time. Set the alarm and place your phone under the fitted sheet in the corner near your head. The app analyzes your sleep patterns and total sleep time, waking you up at the optimal moment.
