If you’ve ever been told that the secret to better sleep is a strict bedtime routine, congratulations, you’ve just won the Neurotypical Lottery. For the rest of us with ADHD, sleep hygiene advice can feel like being handed a rulebook for a game we were never meant to play. Go to bed at the same time every night. Wake up at the same time every morning. No screens. Silence. Chamomile tea. Sure, Gladys, as you wish, Gladys.

But here’s the thing: Sleep is one of the biggest battles for ADHD brains. And the harder we try to force a regular sleep routine, the more our brains dig in their heels. Traditional sleep hygiene isn’t just unhelpful for many of us; it can be downright counterproductive. In fact, 75% of people with ADHD suffer from late sleep onset (Barkley, 2012), which means our brains are literally wired to resist the whole “lights out at 10 PM” thing. Research shows that ADHD is linked to delayed sleep phase syndrome, irregular sleep-wake patterns, and a general disdain for winding down when the clock says so (Cortese et al., 2016). For many of us, the idea of going to bed at 10pm and waking up at 6am every day is about as realistic as expecting my cats to start paying rent.

Why Your Brain Hates Bedtime Rules

ADHD brains are wired differently. They’re not broken, just different, like trying to run a Mac operating system on a PC. And when it comes to sleep, this difference is particularly glaring. The issue isn’t a lack of discipline, it’s steeped in neurobiology. ADHD brains often struggle with self-regulation, which includes the ability to transition from one state to another. This is why telling an ADHDer to just go to bed at a set time is like asking them to stop a high speed train with their bare knuckles. It’s not going to happen, and the stress of trying can make things a whole lot worse (now to get the image out of my head?).

And yet, good sleep is transformational. I don’t mean waking up refreshed sleep (I still think this is a unicorn idea invented to torture us). But a decent amount of sleep that is right for you. We are not all 8 hours machines. Some of us function perfectly well on 5 hours. Some of us need 10-12 hours. Sleeper, know thyself, and stop gaslighting your own needs. Sleep is not optional for your physical, mental and emotional health. Invest in it like you would in magical bitcoins, it will be pay back in better mood, regulation and energy.

Silent Night? (or Why Your Brain Throws a Rave at Night)

Here’s another false friend: For many ADHDers, silence at bedtime is the enemy of sleep. Traditional sleep hygiene tells us to eliminate screens and embrace the quiet. But for some of us, inviting silence into the bedroom is like rolling out a red carpet for our brains to throw a rave. Why? Because all day, we’re under immense pressure to perform, to conform, to meet everyone else’s expectations. Nighttime might be the only time our brains feel free, safe, and finally, blissfully, ours to think as we please.

So if you’re lying in bed staring at the ceiling, ask yourself: Is it really insomnia, or is my brain just clinging to this moment of peace? If it’s the latter, no sleep routine will fix that. The real work here is making the day feel less like a pressure cooker and more like a place where you actually have time to breathe. One for another post.

Screens: The Unexpected Sleep Aid (Yes, Really)

This leads us to another ADHD sleep hack: screens…yes, screens. The idea that we should fall asleep in silence and darkness doesn’t account for how ADHD brains work. For many of us, falling asleep to the TV, an audiobook, or a podcast is far more effective because it gives our brains just enough distraction to stop spinning.

Familiarity is key. In my house, it’s completely normal to hear Bob’s Burgers on repeat from my daughter’s room or The Office US playing on loop in my son’s. It’s not about breaking the rules, it’s about understanding that ADHD sleep isn’t one-size-fits-all. Now, this isn’t a free pass for all screen time. Playing puzzle games on repeat (guilty as charged, moi???) or scrolling through social media might be too engaging, keeping your brain active when it needs to wind down. The trick is to find something passive and familiar, something that keeps your brain just occupied enough to let your body do what it needs to do: rest.

Comfort Matters

ADHDers are sensory sponges. We think we should be able to ‘just’ (that lovely guilt word) ignore stuff that bothers us, but in truth, we can really struggle with that. So first question to you: is your bed and bedroom comfortable? Is your duvet bunching in all the wrong places? Light peaking through the blind? Too hot, too cold, bedside table a jenga experiment about to go wrong? All of these things might be enough to keep your nervous system in ‘unsafe’ mode and keep the winks at bay. Could you up your comfort by only 10%? Yes, that’s organising your bedside table or ordering new pillows. It’s an effort, but it will be worth it.

Flexibility: The Secret Sauce

So if rigid routines don’t work, what does? Flexibility. This doesn’t mean chaos or no structure at all. It means recognising that ADHD brains thrive when they’re allowed to follow their own rhythms—within reason.

For example:

• If your brain is in hyperfocus mode at 11pm, forcing yourself to stop and go to bed is likely to create more stress than rest. Instead, ride that wave of focus and adjust your sleep schedule the next morning.
• If you’re exhausted at 8pm, go to bed then. It’s not about the clock, it’s about listening to your body.
• If you need two hours to wind down after an activity, whether you finish at 8pm or 11pm, that transition time is non-negotiable. It’s not time-bound, it’s activity-bound.
• Bedtime is not necessarily sleep time. For me, this was the most transformational part of tackling my very poor sleep. I used to torture myself in the guilt of not being able to lay my head down and sleep. When I realised that I needed some proper faff time (and for me that’s two hours on average), time where I feel ZERO pressure to do anything, where there are no more demands on my time and my brain, and I can give my brain the freedom to do what it wants (play games, read books, cut toe nails, apply lavish amounts of body butter to feet and hands), going to sleep after that is no longer a battle. In fact, I now really look forward to bedtime, because it’s ME time.

This approach isn’t about lowering standards. It’s about working with your brain, not against it. And here’s the good news: Many ADHDers are already doing better than they think. Compared to those who struggle with chronic insomnia or sleep deprivation, having a flexible but consistent window for sleep is a win.

The Science Bit (Because We Know You Love a Good Rabbit Hole)

Studies like those by Surman and Biederman (2011) and Lecendreux et al. (2000) show that traditional sleep hygiene often fails for ADHD brains because it ignores the neurological differences at play. ADHD isn’t just about attention—it’s about how your brain regulates time, energy, and transitions. As Sonuga-Barke (2003) explains, the prefrontal cortex and limbic system in ADHD brains work differently, making self-regulation a constant challenge.

If you need to remember one thing, it’s this: Sleep struggles are a common part of the ADHD experience, but they don’t have to be a source of eternal guilt. The key is to stop fighting your brain and start working with it. Flexibility, self-compassion, and a willingness to experiment are your best tools. And remember: if you’re already tuning into your body’s needs, whether that’s through a window of time, a familiar show, or just giving yourself permission to rest, you’re doing better than you think.

Feel like going down a rabbit hole? Here you go:

• Barkley, R. A. (2012). Taking Charge of Adult ADHD. Guilford Press.
• Cortese, S., et al. (2016). ADHD and Sleep: An Overview. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment.
• Surman, C. B., and Biederman, J. (2011). Sleep in Adults with ADHD. CNS Drugs.
• Lecendreux, M., et al. (2000). Sleep and Alertness in Children with ADHD. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.
• Sonuga-Barke, E. J. (2003). The Dual Pathway Model of ADHD. Developmental Psychology.
• Tamm, L., et al. (2013). ADHD and Time Perception. Journal of Attention Disorders.