Usually diagnosed during childhood and teenage, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is marked with restlessness, hyperactivity, and short attention spans
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Insomnia, or sleep disturbances, arising out of ADHD's impulsivity could be the reason why adults with ADHD symptoms experience a reduced quality of life, according to a new study.
Usually diagnosed during childhood and teenage, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is marked with restlessness, hyperactivity, and short attention spans.
It is the neuro-developmental disorder linked with a delayed maturing of prefrontal cortex of the brain, which is crucial for attention and focus.
Researchers, led by those from the University of Southampton, UK, and the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, found that ADHD symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity in adults were associated with more severe insomnia, a lower sleep quality and preference for going to bed and waking up late.
The study, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) Mental Health, looked at data from the Netherlands Sleep Registry, an online survey of more than ten thousand adult participants.
Responses from 1,364 middle-aged and older adult participants on questions about ADHD traits, sleep disturbances, circadian factors, depression and quality of life were analysed.
"We know that sleep disruption can impact neurobehavioural and cognitive systems, including attention and emotional regulation. At the same time, sleep disruption may arise from ADHD-related impulsivity and hyperactivity, suggesting a reinforcing cycle between sleep disorders and ADHD," senior author Sarah L Chellappa, associate professor of psychology at the University of Southampton, said.
People with ADHD are diagnosed with sleep disorder about eight times more than the general population, which can show up as a delayed onset of sleep, moving more while asleep, daytime sleepiness or a shorter night-time sleep, the authors said.
"We show that adult ADHD traits and insomnia severity were significant predictors of lower (quality of life) and that insomnia severity mediated this association," they wrote.
Differences in cognition or thought processes among people with ADHD, along with those in sleep and body clock-related genes in ADHD could be potential mechanisms, the team said.
"Adults with ADHD traits may be more likely to have low sleep quality, insomnia complaints, and low mood levels, all of which lead to reduced life satisfaction," co-author Samuele Cortese from the University of Southampton said.
"There needs to be more research to understand this complex interplay. By improving our understanding, we could uncover treatment options that improve the quality of life of people with ADHD," Cortese said.
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