Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a term that describes inattentiveness, hyperactivity, or impulsivity that develops in childhood but may persist into adulthood. Various biological, physical, environmental, and chemical factors contribute to ADHD, including heredity, head injuries, prematurity, and prenatal exposure to nicotine or alcohol. Recent research studies have brought a new understanding of the causes and symptoms of ADHD with a lack of sleep coming out as a significant cause of this condition. In particular, adults with idiopathic hypersomnia and narcolepsy, which are related to sleep deprivation, presented similar symptoms to those with ADHD (Um et al., 2017). Research indicates that children with ADHD tend to sleep more during the day as compared to children without ADHD. More so, 50% of the children who suffer from ADHD present signs of sleep-disordered breathing, which refers to a partial or complete stoppage of breathing throughout the nights (Um et al., 2017). Sleep-disordered breathing contributes to fatigue or daytime sleepiness as an effort to compensate for lack of a good night’s sleep, which reduces the quality of life and one’s ability to function.
Sleep deprivation, which is a significant contributing factor for ADHD, is a significant problem among American children and adults, with most of them having sleeping problems. Children with ADHD tend to suffer most from sleep deprivation as little or no sleep tends to aggravate ADHD symptoms. Davidson et al. (2018), assert that sleep-deprived children speed up activities in a bid to compensate for sleepiness and these actions in addition to being moody, aggressive, and emotionally explosive. On the other hand, sleep-deprived adults tend to be sluggish in performing activities owing to fatigue. More often than not, these reactions are interpreted as signs of ADHD while they are results of sleepiness and a way that the brain uses to react to fatigue. The only way to differentiate between sleep deprivation and ADHD is through proper diagnosis in adults and children. On diagnosis, physicians are capable of treating sleeping problems and, in turn, help alleviate ADHD symptoms and quality of life.
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References
Davidson, F., Rusak, B., Chambers, C., & Corkum, P. (2018). The impact of sleep restriction on daytime functioning in school-age children with and without ADHD: A narrative review of the literature. Canadian Journal of School Psychology, 34(3):188-214. https://doi.org/10.1177/0829573518770593
Um, Y. H., Hong, S. C., & Jeong, J. H. (2017). Sleep problems as predictors in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: Causal mechanisms, consequences, and treatment. Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience 15(1), 9–18. https://doi.org/10.9758/cpn.2017.15.1.9
