06/12/2025
Anyone else resonate?
I have only come to realise that my brain is different over the last two years. I fall into the group of ADHDers who tend to be inattentive, distracted, forgetful daydreamers who procrastinate a lot. I had bemoaned the fact I even procrastinate going to sleep!
It’s been a real eye opener, these last two years, as I gradually learned about all the various behaviours and began to understand myself so much better.
WHY ADHD BRAINS PROCRASTINATE SLEEP — THE REAL STORY BEHIND STAYING UP LATE EVEN WHEN YOU’RE EXHAUSTED
Late-night scrolling. One more episode. Sitting in the dark doing absolutely nothing except avoiding sleep you desperately need.
If you have ADHD, this image probably feels painfully accurate — because sleep procrastination isn’t laziness or carelessness. It’s a neurological pattern deeply tied to how an ADHD brain works.
And the truth is: ADHD sleep habits often make perfect sense once you understand the brain behind them.
Here’s the deeper, human-centered explanation.
1. Delayed circadian rhythms = naturally late body clock
Many ADHDers simply don’t get tired at the same time as neurotypical people.
Their internal clock runs late, meaning:
• melatonin kicks in much later
• energy stays high well into the night
• the body doesn’t “power down” on schedule
So while others get sleepy at 10 or 11 pm, ADHD brains often peak much later — sometimes at midnight or even 2 am.
This isn’t bad discipline.
It’s biology.
2. The dopamine deficit follows you into the night
ADHD brains struggle to produce and regulate dopamine.
So if you didn’t get enough stimulation during the day — mentally, emotionally, or socially — your brain starts searching for it at night.
And of course, night-time stimulation is everywhere:
• scrolling
• YouTube
• TikTok
• binge-watching
• gaming
• hyperfocusing on anything interesting
It becomes a dopamine hunt, not a bad habit.
3. Time blindness turns “5 minutes” into 2 hours
ADHD distorts time perception. That’s why:
• “I’ll just check Instagram” becomes an hour
• “One more episode” becomes 4
• “I’ll go to bed soon” becomes 3:48 AM
Time doesn’t feel real in the moment.
The brain is focused on stimulation, not passing minutes.
This is called time blindness, and it’s one of the biggest contributors to sleep procrastination.
4. Silence at night makes the ADHD brain louder
During the day, your brain is surrounded by noise — people, tasks, notifications, responsibilities.
At night, everything gets quiet.
And for ADHDers, quiet can be uncomfortable.
That’s when:
• thoughts start racing
• anxieties get louder
• ideas suddenly appear
• emotions hit harder
The mind becomes more active at the exact time you’re supposed to slow down.
Falling asleep isn’t just “hard” — it becomes a battle inside your head.
5. Reclaiming lost time = revenge bedtime procrastination
If your entire day is controlled by:
• work
• school
• deadlines
• chores
• social expectations
…then night becomes the ONLY time that feels like yours.
So ADHDers tend to stretch it as long as possible, even if it costs sleep.
It’s not procrastination.
It’s self-preservation.
Your brain is trying to reclaim freedom, autonomy, and unstructured time — something it rarely gets during the day.
Why this matters
ADHD sleep procrastination isn’t about being irresponsible.
It’s about:
• dopamine
• sensory regulation
• emotional overload
• executive dysfunction
• feeling starved for personal time
• biological sleep differences
Understanding this helps remove the shame around “why can’t I just sleep like other people?”
Your brain isn’t failing you — it’s responding the only way it knows how.
If you relate to this, your experience is valid
Your sleep schedule doesn’t define your discipline.
Your restlessness isn’t a flaw.
Your exhaustion isn’t weakness.
It’s ADHD physiology, psychology, and emotional need all woven together.
And you deserve rest — not guilt.
