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Is ADHD a sleep disorder? can adhd improve by treating the comorbid sleep disorder(S)? a research update

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 August 2021

J.J.S. Kooij
J.J.S. Kooij*
Affiliation:
Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC/VUmc, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Abstract

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Introduction

Research has shown that ADHD and sleep disorders are intimately intertwined in the majority of patients in both childhood and adulthood. Circadian rhythm sleep disturbances, esp. the delayed sleep phase syndrome, as well as several other sleep disorders, such as Insomnia, Restless Legs, Periodic Limb Movement Disorder and Sleep apnea are associated with ADHD. With a prevalence rate of 80% of sleep disorders in adults with ADHD, the question not only is what is chicken and egg, but even if both conditions share a joint pathophysiology.

Objectives

To investigate the consequences of this comorbid sleep disorders on severity of ADHD, mood and health, as well as to find evidence on improvement of ADHD by treatment of the sleep disorder(s).

Methods

Recent research will be evaluated to formulate answers to these questions.

Results

Sleep loss resulting from sleep disorders increases ADHD severity due to more impairment of cognition and memory as well as mood instability. Sleep loss in the longer term also leads to obesity, with negative consequences for health in general. First studies showing a decrease of ADHD symptoms by treatment of sleep disorders will be discussed.

Conclusions

ADHD and sleep disorders come together in the majority of patients and need both assessment and treatment. Treatment of ADHD by improving sleep, is an intriguing research question with potential new treatment options.

Keywords

TreatmentAdultADHDsleep disorders
Type
Abstract
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 64 , Special Issue S1: Abstracts of the 29th European Congress of Psychiatry , April 2021 , pp. S556
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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