Comments on: Adult AD/HD Regulating Alertness

By: Melinda

Melinda — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 22:15:45 +0000

Sandra, it sounds like you’ve figured out strategies that work for you. Taking notes, doodling, fidgeting – all these seem to indicate that having some type of motor movement can help sustain attention. Chris, I just thought of something as I re-read your post. I’ve heard that those with AD/HD often have sleep difficulties and may feel wide awake at midnight and not really be deeply asleep until 2:00 to 4:00 a.m.. Obviously, that would make it hard to get up in the morning. One thing that helped my daughter was to exercise vigorously for about 20 minutes before she planned to go to bed. It really helped her get to sleep better, even though it’s counter intuitive for those without AD/HD sleep issues. Prior to trying the exercising just before sleep, she would go to bed and be awake for hours trying to fall asleep. Of course we didn’t allow caffeine or anything within hours of bedtime, but she just felt wide awake at bedtime and then exhausted when it was time to get up. Just a thought, but maybe the exercising strategy will help.

By: Sandra P.

Sandra P. — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 18:52:35 +0000

I’m in my 40′s and was diagnosed with ADD in my 30′s. I have always had excellent coping skills for lectures – first, I make sure I sit near the front. If I don’t I get distracted by watching all the people sitting in front of me. Second I take notes. The note taking is important because I don’t memorize things easily. Writing them down keeps me alert AND helps me learn them. Luckily I don’t have any issues with both listening and writing simultaneously, as my nephew does.

By: Chris

Chris — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 01:12:30 +0000

I happened upon this while searching for some medical journal articles on the link between Adult ADHD and misdiagnosed narcolepsy. I have severe, legitimately diagnosed ADHD from childhood that has carried over into adulthood. I am 24 now, and starting when I was 23 began falling asleep whenever tasked with any activity that is repetitive, requires attentiveness, or that seems mundane. Basically, any activity that does not require me to hyperfocus will cause me to fall asleep. This includes driving. Give me my sketchbook and I am fine through lectures, although I struggle without being on a stimulant regimen. The link between ADHD and the narcoleptic symptoms is there, you just have to search for it. It is very real, and it is not narcolepsy. I’ve talked to several GP’s and my psychiatrist, all of whom agree that narcolepsy is not conditional upon what you are doing. After a six year hiatus from stimulants, I’m going back to avoid dying in a car wreck when I fall asleep on the highway. I have trouble sleeping at night and trouble waking in the morning.