MissUnderstood: The ADHD in Women Channel

ADHD doesn’t clock out at bedtime. From delayed sleep phases and racing thoughts to stimulant timing and restless nights, sleep disruption is one of the most common (and most overlooked) challenges of living with ADHD. Plus, poor sleep makes every ADHD symptom worse! 

In this episode, Dr. J breaks down why ADHD and sleep don’t always get along. And she shares five science-backed strategies to help you finally get some rest.

For more on this topic 

Watch: ADHD and weed: Why it feels like a fix (but isn’t)

Read: 13 tips for getting more sleep

Listen: ADHD and: Self-medicating

For a transcript and more resources, visit MissUnderstood on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected]

Sources:

Cortese, S., Faraone, S. V., Konofal, E., & Lecendreux, M. (2009). Sleep in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Meta-analysis of subjective and objective studies. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 48(9), 894-908.

Kooij, J. J., & Bijlenga, D. (2013). The circadian rhythm in adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Current state of affairs. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, 13(10), 1107-1116.

Van Veen, M. M., Kooij, J. J., Boonstra, A. M., Gordijn, M. C., & Van Someren, E. J. (2010). Delayed circadian rhythm in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and chronic sleep-onset insomnia. Biological Psychiatry, 67(11), 1091-1096.

Picchietti, D. L., England, S. J., Walters, A. S., Willis, K., & Verrico, T. (1998). Periodic limb movement disorder and restless legs syndrome in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Child Neurology, 13(12), 588-594.

Yoon, S. Y., Jain, U., & Shapiro, C. (2012). Sleep in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adults: Past, present, and future. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 16(4), 371-388.

Schredl, M., Alm, B., & Sobanski, E. (2007). Sleep quality in adult patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 257(3), 164-168.

Boonstra, A. M., Kooij, J. J., Oosterlaan, J., Sergeant, J. A., & Buitelaar, J. K. (2010). Does methylphenidate improve inhibition and other cognitive abilities in adults with childhood-onset ADHD? Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 32(9), 954-969.

Gau, S. S., Kessler, R. C., Tseng, W. L., Wu, Y. Y., Chiu, Y. N., Yeh, C. B., & Hwu, H. G. (2007). Association between sleep problems and symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in young adults. Sleep, 30(2), 195-201.

Sobanski, E., Brüggemann, D., Alm, B., Kern, S., Deschner, M., Schubert, T., ... & Rietschel, M. (2007). Psychiatric comorbidity and functional impairment in a clinically referred sample of adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 257(7), 371-377.

Bijlenga, D., Vollebregt, M. A., Kooij, J. J., & Arns, M. (2019). The role of the circadian system in the etiology and pathophysiology of ADHD: Time to redefine ADHD? ADHD Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders, 11(1), 5-19.

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Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

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Rae puts on her most uncomfortable pants (on purpose!) to ask a fashion designer and former special ed teacher whether adults can actually get over sensory issues. Julia DeNey, founder of sensory clothing brand Sense-ational You, breaks down why tactile sensitivity doesn’t disappear at 18, what adaptive fashion can (and can’t) fix, and why telling yourself “today’s the day I get over it” is the worst possible strategy.

For more on this topic

Listen: ADHD and sensory overwhelm: Itchy tags and tight clothes

Read: ADHD and sensory overload

Watch: Is “ring of fire” ADHD real?

For a transcript and more resources, visit Hyperfocus on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected].

Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Laura Mears-Reynolds, founder of ADHDAF and an award-winning community organizer, joins Cate to talk about online communication, building connection, and staying in touch when you have ADHD. They dig into rejection sensitive dysphoria and miscommunication, object permanence with people, time blindness in relationships — and why online community can be genuinely life-saving. Plus: the great voice memo debate, and why your calendar reminder system for friends is not sociopathic.

For more on this topic

ADHDAF

Feeling unsafe with ADHD (Laura Mears-Reynolds’ story) | ADHD Aha!

Building ADHD community | Sorry, I Missed This

For a transcript and more resources, visit Sorry, I Missed This on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected].

Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Marijuana can feel like a miracle fix for ADHD, quieting the noise and taking the edge off. But this short-term relief comes with trade-offs. In this episode, Dr. J breaks down why ADHD brains are drawn to weed, what the research actually says about the long-term consequences, and healthier alternatives. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re self-medicating, this one’s worth your attention.

For more on this topic

Watch: ADHD and: self-medicating

Listen: ADHD and shopping addiction

For a transcript and more resources, visit MissUnderstood on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected].

Sources: Froude, A. M., Fawcett, E. J., Coles, A., Drakes, D. H., Harris, N., & Soko, J. M. (2024). The prevalence of cannabis use disorder in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A clinical epidemiological meta-analysis. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 171, 48-55.

Ryan, J. E., Herens, A., Fruchtman, M., Veliz, P., Kelly, E. L., & Worster, B. (2026). Cannabis use in a community-based sample of adults diagnosed with ADHD: Prevalence, impact on symptoms, and stimulant side effects. Journal of Attention Disorders, 30(3), 407-422.

Kaul M, Zee PC, Sahni AS. Effects of Cannabinoids on Sleep and their Therapeutic Potential for Sleep Disorders. Neurotherapeutics. 2021 Jan;18(1):217-227. doi: 10.1007/s13311-021-01013-w. Epub 2021 Feb 12. PMID: 33580483; PMCID: PMC8116407.

Suraev, A., McGregor, I. S., Marshall, N. S., et al. (2025). Acute effects of oral cannabinoids on sleep and high-density EEG in insomnia: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Journal of Sleep Research, 34(4), e70124.

Chang, Z., Lichtenstein, P., Halldner, L., D'Onofrio, B., Serlachius, E., Fazel, S., ... & Larsson, H. (2014). Stimulant ADHD medication and risk for substance abuse. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 55(8), 878-885.

Quinn, P. D., Chang, Z., Hur, K., Gibbons, R. D., Lahey, B. B., Rickert, M. E., ... & D'Onofrio, B. M. (2017). ADHD medication and substance-related problems. American Journal of Psychiatry, 174(9), 877-885.

Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hyperfocus listener Jenna Plonsky opens a raw conversation about ADHD, late diagnosis, and the mental health struggles many women face in silence. 

From postpartum depression to PMDD, this episode explores how hormonal shifts intersect with neurodivergence — and why so many go undiagnosed for decades. It’s an honest look at shame, self-perception, and the turning point that comes with finally understanding your brain.

For more on this topic

Watch: Did my ADHD make me more likely to have postpartum depression?

Listen: ADHD and: Hormones

For a transcript and more resources, visit Hyperfocus on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected]

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Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.