ADHD drugs interfere with sleep

Not surprising, perhaps, as the standard ADHD drugs such as Ritalin and Adderall are stimulants or amphetamines.

A new study which reanalysed the findings of previous studies found that children on ADHD medication took much longer to get asleep, had poorer quality of sleep and slept for less time than children not taking the medication. Although the ADHD drugs are stimulants, medicine was divided over whether or not they caused sleep problems but the new study has proved, beyond any doubt, that they do.

The new study has been carried out by researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, who selected nine major studies that were the most scientific and independent. They discovered that methylphenidates such as Ritalin and amphetamines like Adderall both caused sleep problems. Although they weren`t able to establish at what dosage the drugs started to impact on sleep, they found that the problems worsened if the drugs were taken regularly. Boys were more affected than girls taking the drugs.

(Source: University of Nebraska-Lincoln)

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