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> Ergo, ADHD might have a large sleep component. Yeah, I can count on one hand the number of times in my life when I woke up in the morning, even after a good

> Ergo, ADHD might have a large sleep component. Yeah, I can count on one hand the number of times in my life when I woke up in the morning, even after a good night of sleep, and felt "refreshed". I didn't even know what that meant until I had a conversation with a coworker who just hops out of bed and is "on" immediately. Feels like there is a connection with my ADHD diagnosis.

balfirevic 6y ago
Did you manage to improve it, feeling refreshed after waking up?
hnick 6y ago
Happens to me roughly once per year, twice in a good year. Usually I am too busy enjoying the novelty of it to put it to good use getting things done.
crooked-v 6y ago
Try one of those wake-up lights if you can. Bright light in the morning can really help with waking up smoothly, or at least getting you into a relaxed half-awake state that makes an alarm less jarring. Anecdotal source: Having a (tiny but well-angled) skylight does wonders for me in the summer months.
mjburgess 6y ago
A fitbit has been lifechanging for me on that front. Get one, and ruthelessly focus on improving your sleep. I have three layers of blinds (get portable blackout blinds); I use earplugs; I try to keep the room temp low. My mood, ability to think clearly, happiness etc. is very sensitive to my moving-average quality of sleep. I think a week or two of "fair" (fitbits levels) sleep is a catastrophe for me -- I need a high average.
- jkhdigital 6y ago
  Yeah I’ve gone through all of the sleep optimizations—eye mask, chilipad, blu-blocker shades two hours before bed, wake-up light—and it has produced marginal improvements that I still maintain but nothing revolutionary. I know that caffeine consumption can be a big issue, but that’s a lost cause. Caffeine is like crack for someone with ADHD, and I’ve given up on trying to quit given my current demanding lifestyle. Maybe one day when my to-do list is shorter.

balfirevic 6y ago

Did you manage to improve it, feeling refreshed after waking up?

hnick 6y ago

Happens to me roughly once per year, twice in a good year. Usually I am too busy enjoying the novelty of it to put it to good use getting things done.

crooked-v 6y ago

Try one of those wake-up lights if you can. Bright light in the morning can really help with waking up smoothly, or at least getting you into a relaxed half-awake state that makes an alarm less jarring. Anecdotal source: Having a (tiny but well-angled) skylight does wonders for me in the summer months.

mjburgess 6y ago

A fitbit has been lifechanging for me on that front. Get one, and ruthelessly focus on improving your sleep. I have three layers of blinds (get portable blackout blinds); I use earplugs; I try to keep the room temp low. My mood, ability to think clearly, happiness etc. is very sensitive to my moving-average quality of sleep. I think a week or two of "fair" (fitbits levels) sleep is a catastrophe for me -- I need a high average.

jkhdigital 6y ago
Yeah I’ve gone through all of the sleep optimizations—eye mask, chilipad, blu-blocker shades two hours before bed, wake-up light—and it has produced marginal improvements that I still maintain but nothing revolutionary. I know that caffeine consumption can be a big issue, but that’s a lost cause. Caffeine is like crack for someone with ADHD, and I’ve given up on trying to quit given my current demanding lifestyle. Maybe one day when my to-do list is shorter.