Question: Hello Dr. Russell Barkley,
  
  I have a very hard time following a consistent sleep schedule due to restlessness at night caused by my ADHD, and often find myself dozing off during the day due to not sleeping enough. This is not helped by the medication I’m taking (atomoxetine) which has a side effect of making me sleepy.
  
  Do you have any advice on how to keep a consistent sleep schedule (or any kind of schedule) for someone with ADHD?
Answer: The things we recommend in situations like this  might include evaluation at a sleep lab to evaluate sleep phases and disruptions, using melatonin at bedtime, exploring what else you do before bedtime (screen time? gaming? etc.) to see if it is counter productive to sleep onset, possible using a sleep medication for a few nights at bedtime to reset your sleep cycle, using atomoxetine in split doses (morning then night) to spread out that medications and maybe reduce this side effect, talking to your primary care doctor about possible sleep apnea, obstructive airway during sleep, or restless leg syndrome.
content: Q: Hello Dr. Russell Barkley,
  
  I have a very hard time following a consistent sleep schedule due to restlessness at night caused by my ADHD, and often find myself dozing off during the day due to not sleeping enough. This is not helped by the medication I’m taking (atomoxetine) which has a side effect of making me sleepy.
  
  Do you have any advice on how to keep a consistent sleep schedule (or any kind of schedule) for someone with ADHD?
   Ans: The things we recommend in situations like this  might include evaluation at a sleep lab to evaluate sleep phases and disruptions, using melatonin at bedtime, exploring what else you do before bedtime (screen time? gaming? etc.) to see if it is counter productive to sleep onset, possible using a sleep medication for a few nights at bedtime to reset your sleep cycle, using atomoxetine in split doses (morning then night) to spread out that medications and maybe reduce this side effect, talking to your primary care doctor about possible sleep apnea, obstructive airway during sleep, or restless leg syndrome.