Sleep ought to be simple, right? Every creature on this planet does it—cats nap effortlessly, babies drift into dreams mid-bite. But for me (and about 60% of others with ADHD), sleep feels more like wrestling a greased octopus: messy, exhausting, and seemingly impossible.
Last week, I finally braved my first-ever sleep study. Picture me hooked up like Frankenstein’s sleepy cousin—with wires, electrodes, and tubes galore. Surprisingly, after just one night of tossing, turning, and talking in my sleep (yep, I’m a vivid dreamer—laughing, singing, and occasionally crawling right out of bed!), my doctors pinpointed a diagnosis: REM sleep disorder. While most people stay still during dreams, I turn bedtime into Broadway.
Why Is Sleep Such a Big Deal?
It turns out that sleep isn’t just beauty rest; it’s serious brain maintenance. In his fantastic book Why We Sleep, Matthew Walker explains how sleep acts like a nightly cleaning crew, scrubbing away toxic waste that builds up during the day. Those “brain toxins” (think of them as leftover brain clutter) can accumulate and contribute to conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases if not cleared properly.
ADHD brains, which are already extra-active during the day, desperately need this nightly housekeeping. The problem? Falling asleep in the first place can feel more challenging than finding matching socks in the dark.
My Mission: Engage the 2-Minute Army Sleep Hack
In my endless search for better sleep, I stumbled upon a technique developed by the U.S. Army and shared by Lloyd Bud Winter in his 1981 book, Relax and Win: Championship Performance. Soldiers needed rest under challenging conditions (like foxholes or cargo planes), and this method supposedly helped 96% of them fall asleep in just two minutes after practicing it regularly.
Given my own battle with bedtime, I decided it was worth a try.
Here’s How the 2-Minute Sleep 7-Step Hack Works (Simplified):
- Relax your face – Scrunch your facial muscles (like biting a sour lemon), then slowly release. Let your tongue flop around in your mouth (attractive, right?).
- Drop those shoulders – Picture gravity softly pulling your shoulders toward the ground. Allow your arms to hang relaxed like cooked spaghetti. Breathe slowly and let relaxation flow through your body.
- Clear your mind—spend about 10 seconds thinking of absolutely nothing. (If you’re anything like me, you’ll find this hilarious because, hello, ADHD brain!)
- Visualize a calm scene—Picture yourself either lying in a canoe on a serene lake beneath clear skies or gently swaying in a soft hammock in a pitch-dark room. (I’m Team Canoe all the way!)
- If your brain continues to chatter, repeat a calming phrase: “Don’t think, don’t think, don’t think.”
- Then lights out.
- Head down, and ideally, sweet dreams in two minutes.
Did it Work for Me? (Spoiler Alert: Eventually!)
Initially, my inner skeptic was loud—two minutes sounded absurd. But knowing it had worked for soldiers encouraged me to keep at it, adjusting the method slightly:
I slowed the relaxation down and allowed myself to adjust to my own pace. No rush, no stress.
I varied my visualizations—canoes, beach sunsets, woodland cabins, hot air balloons—to keep boredom away.
I practiced first, lying comfortably in bed, lights already off, ready for sleep.
And something magical began happening. Four nights into the practice, I woke up at 3 a.m. and realized the last thing I remembered was letting my shoulders relax. For me, it was like a miracle! I even tried and successfully used this method for a Sunday afternoon nap—a previously impossible feat.
Real Talk: It’s Worth Trying
I won’t pretend it’s foolproof, but this “two-minute method” has genuinely improved my bedtime routine. It’s not perfect every night (is anything?), but it’s far better than lying awake counting the rotations of my white noise fan.
So, if you’re a fellow sleep warrior, give this a shot. You might find your own personal twist (canoe, hammock, pool floaty, spaceship…?) that blissfully unlocks dreamland. And hey, even if it doesn’t work immediately, it’s a relaxing ritual your busy ADHD brain might appreciate anyway.
Sweet dreams, my friends. Let me know below: Are you Team Canoe or Team Hammock?
📚 Further Reading & Resources:
Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
Want to learn more about ADHD and sleep? Consider these blog articles:
Minimizing Your Symptoms of ADD: Which Comes First…Exercise, Diet or Sleep?
I think overall good advice, I’m going to give the canoe a shot! Allow me to throw in Dr. Weils 4-7-8 breathing technique, when I remember to do it I find it does help! Sleep is my nemesis, I relate to everything you’ve described, the thrashing is something my poor husband would have a lot to say about. I did go for an evaluation for a sleep study and I was told I was NOT a candidate because I didn’t suffer from apnea or snoring (uhm well I do some but allergy related, I’ve addressed it to the extent I can), I’m not overweight (much, I try to get some form of exercise in everyday even if it’s just walking the two allergy inducers!), no blood pressure problems etc. I couldn’t get any answers as to why I thrash, twitch or talk (the twitching has driven my husband to the guest room at times) (conversely if he snoring I’m apt to do the same), it’s like my brain does not shut down when I’m “sleeping”. The doctor told me there needs to be more research in this area, no $h!t, because this is a real thing and there are a lot of us out there! Further, I agree with you that 1 night of electrodes and a cannula will not help diagnose what we’ve got. It’s going to have to be a week of electrodes while “sleeping” in our own beds for them to see our neurons fire off differently and 10 years for them to figure out what, if anything, can be done. Personally I might be dead by the time all that happens 🙂 ! Until then I’ll give lying in a canoe a chance! When all else fails I’ve got drugs, which is always the desperate option. Good column!
Thank you! Problems with sleep are very common among adults. With our diagnosis, these problems can only get worse. And not all standard relaxation methods work.
Thank you! This technique seems to me to be effective, although a lot of effort, painstaking work of imagination are required. I think there’s really no reason not to try it.
I don’t understand how to “let thoughts pass”. Especially as someone with ADHD, that just seems impossible. I get so fixated on them, it’s what tends to keep me awake, because I’ll think of a question and I’ll HAVE to know the answer, or I’ll think of a really awesome idea and I’ll HAVE to write it down. And then more and more and more questions/ideas come and I’m up at 4am still going with these questions and ideas.
Hello Max, I too used to find that “letting thoughts pass” was impossible. I found it helped is to jot down that one thought that I need the answer to on a piece of paper so I can address it tomorrow and refocus my busy brain on something that will h p. or me, that is focusing on relaxing my body by starting with one side at my head and working towards my toes. If I need to, I will begin the same process with the other side, rarely do I complete the relaxation of the second side before I am asleep. I think the key is keeping focused on something other than the things that seem to want to “wake us up”. We are still using our thoughts, only on something that will be sleep enhancing. I hope this helps. ~ Laurie Dupar