Sleep disturbances and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder symptoms in adult participants of the Netherlands Sleep Registry

Abstract

Objectives: Few studies focused on whether either inattention or hyperactivity symptoms are more specifically related to sleep problems. We examined the association between Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms and several sleep disturbances, and whether these were specific for one of the ADHD symptom domains. Sleep disturbances are getting more attention now that we know more about the negative impact of sleep debt on health issues, such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Methods: Participants were 942 volunteers of the Netherlands Sleep Registry, an online platform for survey assessment. ADHD symptoms were measured with the validated Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale Screener and self-reported sleep characteristics using multiple sleep questionnaires. High inattention and a high hyperactivity symptom groups were defined as a score above the sample median on the inattention items and hyperactivity items, respectively. Results: The frequency of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS), Restless legs syndrome (RLS), Periodic Limb Movement Syndrome (PLMS), extreme evening chronotype, sleep onset latency ≥30 minutes and waking up at night was significantly higher in the group who scored in the sample's highest quartile on the Screener. The frequency of short sleep ≤6 h was significantly higher in the high hyperactivity vs. the high inattention group. Conclusions: ADHD symptoms were associated with several sleep disturbances, and some were specifically related to one ADHD symptom group. Clinicians are recommended to evaluate and treat sleep problems in persons with ADHD symptoms.