Sleep, Melatonin, and Circadian Rhythmicity in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Sleep problems are very common in children and adults with ADHD. Chronic sleep onset insomnia in ADHD had been described as a key characteristic of circadian rhythm problems. ADHD patients are more often and more extreme evening chronotypes and more often meet the criteria for delayed sleep-phase disorder (DSPD). DSPD is associated with delayed dim-light melatonin onset (DLMO). A delayed DLMO was found in both children and adult ADHD patients with sleep onset insomnia. Besides ADHD that influences the circadian rhythmicity, also medication used to treat ADHD seems to disturb the circadian rhythm.