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Long drives/rides make me feel so shitty. I CANNOT sleep in any kind of transportation. I just get tired and miserable. I never thought about why though. People act like I am lying when I say I can’t sleep in a car/plane. So it’s nice to know other people also just can’t do it.
Same!! I’ve also noticed I rarely if ever get motion sickness, UNLESS I’ve taken my Ritalin. I can read for fun in the car, but when I need to be productive and work, which typically requires the meds, I suddenly get motion sickness. Cursed.
Oh I am a very motion sick prone person. Elevators make me sick. Those VR head sets. Trying to look at anything while in motion. Reading or watching a show are not an option for me. My meds don’t make a difference for me either way. I can only listen to something like music or a podcast while looking strait ahead.
I'm the same way! Can't even watch when my kids go on a carousel or a swing. Dramamine, even the non drowsy type, makes me super drowsy, so I rarely use it. Does anything give you relief?
Wow. That is really bad. I can at least watch a carousel. I hate that for you. I have never found anything that helps. Dramamine also makes me sleepy no matter what kind. Yet, I still cannot sleep in a vehicle even with Dramamine. Haha. Things like being in the front seat of a car make me feel less crappy. But nothing has ever made me able to sleep/watch or read things while moving.
And sometimes you even get to get a head start on adjusting your circadian rhythm! Win. But sometimes the view is just so damn beautiful you don't want to miss a thing. I embarrassingly used to drool because I could sleep so hard on a plane. I'm not so embarrassed now that I'd usually wear a scarf on flight. Just that bit of extra support around my neck seems to keep my mouth closed more. Plus, I still wear masks on flights so nobody be seeing me drool anyways.
I fall asleep sleep faster and sleep better on planes than I do at home in my own bed with melatonin. Maybe they should just start creating beds that mimic planes taking off
Just chiming in as another "I immediately pass out in any moving vehicle" data point for anyone keeping track.
I also get motion sickness easily, so I think that I've spent so much time falling asleep from keeping my eyes closed to try and not puke that I've somehow pavloved my body into sleeping immediately when I'm in motion.
I can sleep sitting up, but I can't sleep on planes, trains or cars.
For me at least, I think it probably has more to do with my brain being hyper-aware of the other people around me and the constantly changing environment than anything else.
This is my problem for sure. I recently was privileged enough to fly across the world in a business class seat that allowed me to essentially lay down, so I laid down and listened to people walk by me (over the calming music from my headphones) for 10 hours. Red eye flight, too, but my body decided it was more important to remain vigilant than to sleep in a 24-hour period.
I pretty much lose all functionality while flying though, except drinking, peeing, and guarding my space.
I’m a lifelong chronic sleep maintenance insomniac and public transportation is my only guaranteed sleep hack! I get downright giddy about about air travel because I know I’m gonna sleep—I have to fight to stay awake if I want to attempt doing anything (wake me for snacks!)
My brain just instantly shuts down for a disc defragmentation on every plane, bus or train! Spouse and I recently learned I can sleep through turbulence 😅 however if I’m solo traveling, I’m less likely to sleep—gonna be alert when I’m in my own.
There’s something about not having to be in charge of ANY part of the transit that lets me let go. I can even travel nap on a full dose of adderall lol.
Trust me, I’d trade it for the ability to sleep consistently. I don’t travel enough for it to make up for the deep sleep deficit I’m running over here!
Me too! Five minutes in the train and it's lights out. My insomnia used to be extreme. So once a week I would catch a train to wherever, get off after a couple hours and catch the first train back home. Just so I could sleep.
Yeeep, I'm a good sleeper in my own bed, when the doors and windows are cool closed, the duvet is pulled right up my to chin, and I assume one of the two acceptable sleeping positions... But you won't catch me napping ever or sleeping any way that doesn't meet those strict requirements haha.
Yeah I can’t sleep really unless I am on my side/stomach, one leg up, and T-Rex arms lol. Even if it’s a 14 hour flight like what you said. I got upgraded to first class on an 8 hr flight and I was able to get like 2 hrs of sleep cuz I could lie down and that was worth it 😅
I need to tell me this sorcery of being upgraded to first class. Which fairy godmother/godfather did you speak with?
Also, I guess I am both a side/stomach person too and have no idea what to do with my arms. Haha
Sleeping on my back or chair sleeping is impossible as I’ve aged. In addition the thermostat has to be at 65ish degrees at night.
Haha I just basically cuddle a squishmellow while I sleep (I‘m in my 30‘s). Unfortunately I have no magic powers of my own but my wife travels for work so had the right status…we couldn’t afford it on our own and I sure wish we could cuz it was a game-changer and now I wish I never knew what it was like 😅😅😅
How easily other people fall asleep has always been a mystery to me. As a kid I interpreted "I'm going to nap here for a bit" as "I'm going to close my eyes for a bit and tune out of everything because I'm tired and I don't want anyone to talk to me". I thought we were playing pretend, I didn't know they were actually going to sleep. "I'll sleep on the way there" also registers as denying you're fucked. I don't even try. The idea of nodding off sitting up in a noisy public place is so ridiculous. I do get tired enough that I can't stand looking at my phone or doing anything, and have to pretend to sleep.
I love my noise cancelling earbuds. If I have trouble sleeping, binaural waves, meditation music, nature sounds usually help do the trick. Hits that sweet spot of occupying just enough of my brain space and drowning out other background noise. I am usually fucked though cause I stay up late to do my last minute packing or squeeze out an extra night of fun, so the sleep is much welcomed. Definitely haven't figured out how to not get as sore during longer flights, though. I might take my shoes off or stick my legs further into the underseat area. Considered getting a feet hammock. I hardly ever put my seat back, and if I did, it'd only be the tiniest bit and during lights out time.
I’m a stomach sleeper. I can’t sleep while sitting. The best I can do is snooze. For a few minutes. However, my very hyperactive dad can sleep while sitting. For hours. Especially when ‘watching’ a film.
We have a deficiency in a gene that makes it so we cannot produce the sleep hormone affectively affecting our circadian rhythm among other factors adhd related
[CLOCK Polymorphisms in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Further Evidence Linking Sleep and Circadian Disturbances and ADHD](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6410065/) study says
> In this study, we tested the association between the CLOCK gene and ADHD using family data. We included several genetic markers to comprehensively cover the gene extension. Our results point toward a haplotype risk effect of the gene on ADHD. [..] Several lines of evidence link the CLOCK gene with ADHD. First, the CLOCK gene has an important function in dopaminergic regulation as well as in neurocognitive function, both pathways linking wake/sleep patterns to ADHD etiology [13,16]. Second, the expression of genes involved in neuronal migration is regulated by CLOCK, and its dysregulation was reported to disrupt coexpressed gene networks implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders [37]. The literature has also reported that the circadian rhythm may play an essential role on the effect of ADHD treatment medication [4,38]. Finally, in humans, an association between the CLOCK gene and psychiatric disorders has already been reported [3,5].
I can fall asleep on my back, but it's difficult, and I'll inevitably wake up on my side later. Sleeping on planes or trains where I can't lay flat somehow is almost never. If my husband is driving and I can lay the seat back, then I can do it, though. My theory was always about resting heart rate and BP, only laying flat. Let's mine go low enough for sleep to be possible.
The recent trip was from Osaka to Tokyo to Dallas to Ohio, over 28 hours in transit, and not even a tiny bit of sleep.
Can NEVER sleep on planes, trains or automobiles lol. I can only ever sleep on my face. Lately sometimes I can turn over to the side during the night. Not sure if it's an adhd thing but it's definitely true for me.
Cannot sleep on transport unless it's a a bed, can't sleep ina chair or any seating position really.
Also a side sleeper even though i find it uncomfortable, i prefer laying on my back but the sensation on the back of my head prohibits me from sleeping. Feel like i only get a few decent nights sleep a year and that's usually from physical exhaustion. Fml.
I am definitely a side/front sleeper. Partially sensory because it's just feels incorrect to sleep on my back, but also I have nightmares if I do?
I can sleep pretty easily in cars especially on the highway where there's not much changes in speed or direction.
Whether I can sleep on a plane is so unpredictable. Some flights I can sleep before we even leave the runway, and some flights I'll so badly want to sleep but just _can't_.
I’m a side sleeper and I also can’t really sleep on planes. The only time I can sleep in economy is if I have my travel pillow, it’s not too cold, it’s not too loud, I take 2 clonazepam, I have an eye mask and earplugs, and even then the stars have to align lol. I’m very lucky if I can get just 1 hour of sleep in economy even on a 10-15 hour flight. It’s extremely rare for me. In business class on the other hand, it’s obviously much easier. Still need clonazepam, sleep mask, earplugs, etc, but I actually do get some sleep. There have been maybe 1-2 times in business class that I still couldn’t sleep, but usually I can. Flying 10-15 hours in economy and not sleeping at all is so awful and uncomfortable. Especially with adhd. Meanwhile my bf passes out within minutes and sleeps the whole time lol 😒
Yeah, exactly. Even if I'm so exhausted that I can't think straight anymore, I still wouldn't be able to fall asleep when I'm travelling.
The only exception is when I have to drive myself, I fall asleep easily behind the wheel.
It sucks.
Yes I also have that issue and just try to accept it and make sure that if I do fall asleep it’s okay and just to try to adjust to the time when I get to my destination. I often will volunteer to drive on road trips early just to I can sleep at the destination.
For flights just make a nice list of movies 🎥
If I cross my arms and legs I’m pretty good at falling asleep and sleeping anywhere I’m in a chair. It also helps my untreated sleep apnea makes me constantly tired. But that’s another post.
Yes!! I was just talking about this to someone the other day! I have always wondered why I have to lay down to sleep. Car rides are impossible to sleep in because the motion. I have never been able to fall asleep at my desk at school or on my break at work. I did fall asleep on an airplane once and it was literally the best sleep of my life. Maybe because of the noise.. 🤷🏻♀️
I can't sleep in anything that moves. I've had a couple 15+ hour plane rides.... Worst 15 hours spent ever. Not only can't sleep, but everyone else IS asleep and I need to keep quiet and also, I'm tall and don't fit easily in those damned seats....
I’m not tall but for everything else, we’re in the same boat.
For me, when I see everyone sleeping, I trying reading, watching a movie, play game, etc.
That’s when I enter my hyper stage and nothing will entertain me and I still can’t sleep. Rapid fire task cancellation. Lol
I’ve gotten lucky one time where I had the whole three seats to myself by asking flight attendants if I could move. I was able to lay down with personal neck pillow and blanket, as long as I remained buckled and did not obstruct the aisle. I felt as if I was in first class.
I have the opposite problem. I have so much trouble falling asleep even in my very comfortable bed but on a plane train or auto I am knocked out instantly. I had a flight attendant wake me because I feel asleep before takeoff and the flight instructions. If only I could sleep that good at home.
my escape as a child in situations I was made to sit still and quiet in an uncomfortable place (church mostly, school a bit too lol) was to pass the hell out, so I'm really good at sleeping on long rides.
Had to make a 14 hour flight a few weeks ago, slept at least 10 hours of it. Woke up stiff as heck, but it made the flight go a lot quicker.
Nah white noise help me sleep like a baby usually. Also, I'm sorry to be rude, but this is quite a dumb question, most people can't sleep well in these situations, adhd or not. I've noticed it's something quite frequently observed in this subs, people relate every small insignificant and dumb things too adhd..
Like asking does most adhd people like chocolates? (Ofc, most people like it..)
I’m strictly curious if it’s a sensory issue of being able to sleep sitting up, not just traveling.
I cannot sleep sitting in a chair unless it reclines.
When I'm in any kind of transportation the only way I sleep is what I call the Standby-Mode. It's usually just the kind of state I'm in right before I fall asleep. My eyes are closed and I can hear everything going on around me, but I also start to dream already and my train of thought gets more and more illogical. I sometimes call it 'Dolphin sleep', because it really feels as if just one half of my brain was asleep
Not sure if this is an ADHD thing. ADHD folk are indeed far more likely than average to have sleep issues. And, like you, I can almost never sleep on planes, buses, etc. But I'm not sure if that's due to the sitting up or if it's due to other factors, like the stimulating nature of being in a relatively-unusual setting.
I’m extremely unlikely to ever sleep on a plane. It could be ADHD, but it’s far more likely the fact that most airlines have intentionally designed their economy seats to be torture devices.
Dude one time i had 3 connecting flights making it a total of 22 hours of flights and layovers, I couldn’t close an eye ffs… and it was the same on the way back…
I can t even sleep in the car
I can’t sleep sitting up. I envy those that can and those that can just pass out at the snap of a finger. I generally can’t sleep on my back so when I’m sick and I can sleep on my side… it’s a loooong miserable night
I can sleep when I want as long as its a nap. Once its time for bed, it takes me like 2-3 hours to get to bed so that's fun. But for naptime? Or back when I slept during the day and worked at night? No problems at all.
Complete opposite. We drive up the ride to a friends house and in our like a light. I can fall asleep standing. Our car rides are the only times I get naps with 3 kids running around lol. Planes I can’t sleep on to save my life. I’m always worried the snack cart is gonna hit me or someone needs to be let out the aisle to use the bathroom.
I mean everyone is different. Maybe the kids are your white noise lol
I should’ve mentioned I’m a drooler. Lol
Thankfully, it’s both practical and socially acceptable to wear a mask. Win-win.
That’s also a down side of the aisle seat but it’s my favorite.
Only because I can only sit for so long and I don’t want to bother anyone.
This is definitely not my experience. I once fell asleep in a Tilt-O-Whirl. I thrive on motion, it’s extremely relaxing for me. No motion sickness, in fact I once went on a whale watch that they nearly cancelled due to the weather. There were 8 foot swells rocking the boat so bad we had to all sit on the top deck, people were puking all over the place, I took a nap.
Well, it’s not the motion but position I’m interested in.
I’m the same as you. I can fall asleep with no motion sickness and enjoy the rocking. Yet, I need to be laying down in order to do so.
Hopefully, you were able to see whales. I’d love the chance to see a blue whale … pod?
I see things like long car rides and plane trips as a time for inexplicable productivity (usually for knitting or reading) and I get mad at myself when I don’t use the entire time to work on that because I guess it’s a controlled environment that doesn’t allow for much distraction. I still get detracted a lot though lol but that’s besides the point.
Not sure if it’s adhd related, but I’ve never been able to sleep on planes, and I can only sleep in the car if very sleepy and then still jerk awake often with the slight turn or shift in car.
Sometimes I can and sometimes I can't, a little hard to predict because it depends on my overall jitter level, and whether I can get reasonably comfortable (physically / smells / light level / noise level).
I think I was on one of those planes where the seat pitch is a little steep, _that_ was the absolute worst.
If it helps, I've heard that even taking the attitude of just resting your eyes and letting your mind drift can have a restorative effect, for however long you might be able to manage -- not as good as sleeping, but still something.
In the exact same boat, on a plane, car, the most I can get is like that half sleep, where you're tired and you're laying down, eyes closed but no sleeping. Like the last little but of your brain is still awake but if you get roused ur still sleepy idk. TLDR yea and yes I'm a side sleeper too
Wait, that’s an ADHD thing? I thought I just hated sleeping so I’d talk until my dad told me to be quiet and I got bored so I fell asle- oooooooohhhhhh
I’m most comfortable on my side and prefer side sleeping. I do rotate through the night to my back and other side. I have to be able to adjust my position or I’m not comfortable. And I don’t like sleeping sitting up. Idk seems to me most people prefer laying down to sleep.
But the first half of my life I could sleep anywhere. It was more of an issue of trying to stay awake especially in cars or the very short flights I’ve been on. I slept through most of my Highschool classes. As I’ve aged it’s gotten better. I think my hyper activity is in my head. Sleep was a kind of an escape from struggling with my executive dysfunction. Plus I had health problems and chronic fatigue. I wasted so much time sleeping.
I’m very good at sleeping in vehicles and always have been. I think I find the motion soothing, like a baby or something lol I am only ok at planes because they’re pretty uncomfortable and there’s too many people around.
I completely pass out on car rides that are more than an hour. I'm pretty sure it's bc when I was a baby my parents would put me in my car seat on top of the dryer and turn it on so I'd go to sleep.
I cannot sleep on planes. I have 3 different neck pillows hoping that one will finally feel comfortable enough for me (they don’t). I almost always choose window, hoping that having something to lean against will provide some sort of encouragement to fall asleep (it doesn’t). I love traveling, but it’s torture in a way because I’ll be up late the night before packing, so minimal sleep, and then I still can’t fall asleep on a plane. I’ve traveled to Europe before from the U.S., overnight flights, and will be awake for over 24 hours because nothing feels comfortable enough.
Travel sleep is the best sleep! I’m a nervous flyer and have to sit by the window. I have some chronic pain issues, but if I can get myself in the perfect position against the window, the right music playing on my phone, and my travel blanket tucked in just right, then I’m out like a light after take-off.
This usually only works for flights under 2.5 hours because of my pain, but I’m usually okay if I get up and walk around. It's the same for road trips.
I find it hard to sleep on trains since there are so many stops. I’m always afraid that I’ll miss mine.
Lay down or not there's no "I'm going to bed, goodnight" for me. I need to be completely exhausted and pass out, there's no planning bedtime or I'm gonna sleep on this flight. My bed barely gets use for this reason, I often fell asleep at my desk, on my living room floor, the only way to sleep is pass out otherwise my brain will keep me up all night with the most random bs thoughts 🥲
This, I even had a therapist say "well you've tried all the tricks in the book to get a sleep schedule idk what to tell ya" even when I'm dumb tired like I am rn(30+ hours no sleep) as soon as I hit that bed I'm wide awake, get up go to couch out like a light
Could never sleep in a car. Like ever. Even as a kid.
Overnight planes? Yes. Busses? Sometimes.
I get worked up over what's going on along the road or with the scenery and what I might miss if i fall asleep.
I’m also a side sleeper and I can’t really fall asleep sitting up. I’ve never thought of it as related to ADHD though. That’s an interesting idea. I wonder if it’s related to how I also can’t just fall asleep randomly like watching a movie or reading a book, like I have to want to fall asleep and do it on purpose.
About the side sleeping, I went to a massage therapist once who said that I was side sleeping because I needed something on the side of my face, which sounds like the sensory thing you’re talking about. I tried sleeping with pillows next to both sides of my face and it did seem to help, but I eventually went back to side sleeping because it’s more comfortable for me.
I must sleep on my side or stomach, I need movement, I can't sleep and lay still, my back gets all tense and antsy otherwise. As for the planes yes... OMG YES how tf are you suppose to sleep while being straight up and stiff as a pole. The only reason I can do a car is because the vibrations and bumps are soothing, if they become hover Im done for, caput, finité
I cannot sleep on an airplane and I have no idea why.
I once stayed up 24 hours so I would fall asleep on an 8 hour flight.
Reader, I did not fall asleep on that flight and I have NO IDEA how I gathered all my stuff once I landed at my destination.
However, in cars or busses I can sleep. Especially if I can put my face into the window...
...yeah I dunno either.
I have to be in my side to sleep. I can sleep now in the car if I have my neck pillow and I’ve worn myself out enough. The new neck pillow was a game changer for me. It holds my neck more steady than the older ones and if I turn a little onto my side and push the seat back down a bit, I can get comfortable enough to get an hour or two of sleep. I’ll sleep on buses (long journeys 4+ hours) if I have both seats to myself and I know there won’t be many getting on. If I need to give up the second seat, the driver knows how to wake me (they’ve known me for decades) and I can try to contort myself into a position to sleep
I literally can't sleep sitting up.
I can sometimes sleep on planes if I put the tray table down and basically lay my head on that. I don't know if that is an ADHD thing exclusively, but that is how I am.
No idea whether it's anything to do with ADHD, but indeed I cannot fall asleep while sitting, or on my back. I've flown to Australia from Europe, non-stop, that's a 28-hour flight, and ended up being awake for 40 hours straight - the only good thing was that it allowed me to pass out at 10pm and sleep like a baby for 10 hours, while everyone else was jetlagged AF.
I am the absolute opposite. Any form of engine noise puts me straight to sleep. I’m the world’s most boring travel buddy.. I will fall asleep before the plane has taken off, and wake up after landing 😂
I can sleep everywhere, whenever and in basically every position when I am tired. I sleep on my stomach, side, back, in the car, plane, train. I can sleep on the floor and with my head resting on a table while sitting. Sometimes I sleep in childs pose. A few times in life I even fell asleep while walking and while using the restroom.
Only when restless legs is hitting I am too uncomfortable to sleep.
Edit: and when my hands and feet are dry.
Never have I ever slept on a plane despite taking overnight flights and multiple other flights when tired. See also: bus, car or train. My brain simply will not allow sleep when I’m not in bed.
My ex-husband, who certainly has adhd also, would fall asleep within minutes in any moving plane or vehicle. While I sat there exhausted and alone for hours. He wasn’t doing anything wrong but it was reason #563 that we weren’t compatible.
I can’t sleep during travel either. It hurts me physically to stay still, so I always have to stand up, stretch, walk around and I sit in very weird positions, switching every few seconds. When I go to sleep I roll around a lot too, and I have 3 different pillows and switch them every few minutes before falling asleep because I get very uncomfortable if I feel the same kind of sensation for too long. I also have to put something directly in front of my face, otherwise I can’t sleep. It’s very annoying.
I cant sleep in cars/planes but not because im sitting up. Even if I were to lay a car seat back to essentially laying down I couldn't. Its because I cant feel comfortable enough to sleep AND in cars I get anxious when almost anyone but me is driving.
I feel like an alien here. I can fall asleep ANYWHERE at ANY TIME as long as I'm not currently focused on something. I feel like my brain is operating at 120% all the time, so as soon as there is any chance for it to turn off, it takes it. If there's a length of time that does not demand or capture my attention, my brain shuts down. Ill add, though, that it doesn't feel like "falling asleep." It feels like "passing out." There isn't like a lay-down, unwind, drift-of type thing. I lay down and BLACKNESS for a moment, then BWEWP the lights come back on and I've time traveled forward.
I did a 32 hour flight journey with a 9 hour and a 14 hour flight and it killed. Couldn't sleep at all, though I did get into a very light sleep a couple times (like that phase you get before you actually drift off) because I literally couldn't keep my eyes open.
I always sleep on my side. And I'm very tall. Planes fucking suck when you're doing journeys that long. The takeoff and landing are exciting though!
I can't sleep in those at all. Some of it is sensory and some of it is being really tall with long limbs. I'm traveling currently and it is a nightmare. If it's a 14 hour flight (usually Doha) then I do my best. If I can catch my doctor at the right time, he sometimes kicks me a 2 benzo tabs for the long flights. I also have to pick a hotel with some sort of AC that lets me run a fan for noise. I care more about the noise than the cool air sometimes.
I'm almost unable to sleep in plane, cars and trains. At best, I can drift for 10 to 20 minutes and that's it.
Worst time in my life was a 12h plane flight. Slept 2h over 8h of trying.
In car I can sometimes sleep 15 minutes... but that's it. In train that's the same.
Dunno if that's ADHD or something else (i'm a side/stomach sleeper)
You and me, we are one and the same. Have never, ever been able to sleep sitting up. I can only sleep lying down with some sort of blanket on me, side sleep position. I’ve taken 12-15 hour international flights, and by the end of it I’ve lost my mind. But get a lot of movie watching done lol
I could sleep on a concrete floor with only a balled up sweater as a pillow. I can’t sleep on a plane worth a darn, which is not great when you have a 14hr flight and will have to deal with ultra jet lag when you land.
The back of the seats lean but the seat itself doesn’t and since I have no butt whatsoever I’m constantly sliding forward in the seat. I’d fall out if I didn’t have my seatbelt on.
A decade of hour long bus commutes taught me to sleep in a seat, and more, wake up when my stop is announced on the bus.
Being half an hour after a four hour sleep night helps with that, I guess.
longest flight i've been on was 11h, i did sleep but not very good. 30 minutes of sleep followed by 30 minutes awake. got about 5h of sleep but i was really tired at the end of it. im somewhat tall and i cant get comfortable in economy. i would probably be able to get some decent sleep in business class.
i could probably fall asleep on a car or bus, being on the road at night is something i find very relaxing. i almost fell asleep in the car once, which is not a fun thing when you are the one driving...
yes, have been this way all my life and but i don’t think it’s an adhd thing? also a side sleeper, so if i have managed to sleep in a plane/car/etc it’s been folded up into some absurd pretzel position to try and feel like im on my side, and it would have to be a red-eye or long haul type journey where it would be an hour id be sleeping anyways.
i’m just a shitty sleeper tho, it’s like i just don’t get tired. it’s taken me years of forcing a sleep schedule to even be able to fall asleep sorta consistently by midnight at the earliest. very annoying… meanwhile my sister and husband can both basically sleep on demand and im like, how??? if i have to be up at 5am? best i can do is achieve sleep by 1am, even if i was up at 5am that day and worked all day 🫠 whyyyyyyyy haha
When I was younger I had trouble sleeping in my bed because I was always anxious about my homework being done properly but found that I was rarely sleepy in car rides because I was always day dreaming while staring out the window. As an adult with ADHD I can knock out pretty much anywhere. Since my mid 20's before I was diagnosed, I just felt so exhausted all the time. If I'm not driving, I am knocking out in the car. Movies, church, presentations I was knocking out. Since starting Concerta, I've had a lot more energy and feel less tired in general even when I get less than 5 hrs of sleep.
The only time i've ever passed out while not laying down, was after a night of partying on a certain horse tranquilizer.
I'm a stomach sleeper, if i'm on my side i'm leaning on my body pillow, with my weight being on my front and not my side
Can't sleep on planes (or other public transport), unless I'm very tired. Tried it once with a sleeping pill and it took forever to kick in; even then I was a ligh sleeper. After all, I have trouble sleeping in my own bed. When I was younger, I was able to sleep anytime, anywhere. Lately, not so much.
I definitely do have a hard time sleeping while traveling. On planes if I am really tired I will rest my head on the tray or the window. Sometimes I doze in and out but not enough to be fully rested.
I can sleep in the car if I can lay down, but sitting up I can't for sure.
Any form of travel or transport gives me far too much energy and excitement to sleep. Last year we travelled to Budapest on the other side of Europe for a festival and the entire 34 hours from leaving our house to walking into the festival grounds I was wide awake. From the bus to the airport at 6am, travelling around Vienna we stayed overnight in, the 3 hour train ride and then buses/trains the last stretch. My friends were asleep for most of it and got decent sleep in Vienna where we stayed overnight.
I was awake for the entire journey. I managed to scrape maybe 30 minutes of sleep in Vienna but was otherwise alert for every moment of the buses, planes and trains we took. I'm just glad I always had a window to look outside.
It’s a great movie so I’d never fall asleep no matter the bodily position /s. Jokes aside I hate flying which contributes to my sleep deprivation… Have you ever had the chance to fly business and lay down? Did it make a difference?
God I wish I could sleep on planes. Most of the flights I take are 2 hours or less, but I've had a few whoppers including a 13 hour flight from San Francisco to Dublin, Ireland (plus the same return). On that trip to Ireland by the time we got to our hotel which was a 4 hour drive from the airport I hadn't slept in 26 hours. That 13 hour flight was maddening.
I am absolutely a side sleeper. I can sleep on my back, but not very well and I snore like a freight train if I do. I can sleep in a comfy recliner or laying on a sofa, but I have to be incredibly tired and VERY bored to sleep sitting up. I have too much anxiety about flying to relax enough to sleep on a plane.
The only way in hell I'm going to sleep on a plane is with a sleeping pill. Something legit like Zolpidem, benadryl isn't gonna do it. And I can only do that if I have a traveling buddy to make sure that I don't miss my connecting flights or make blunt sexual proposals to the gay flight attendant who was being so nice to me.
I'm told he was flattered, though.
I had a boss who preferred red eye flight to get home sooner from business trips. He could sleep through anything. Me on was exhausted the next day which ruined any plans of productivity or enjoyment. Never again would I take a red eye flight unless due to extreme circumstances.
I rarely sleep on planes. Flying makes me anxious and I'm just waaaay too hyper focused on every sensation I hear or see to keep my eyes shut more than a few seconds. And sleeping in a car possible, but I need a neck pillow, a sleep mask to keep out any light, and blanket or I can only focus on how cold any exposed body parts are. I used to sleep in the car way easier when I was younger, but it's gotten harder the older I get.
I used to have trouble sleeping on a plane or train. But if I had to travel on a train without a sleeping car and I had a neck pillow, I would now be able to take 2 propriomazine, 4 promethazine, 2 olanzapine and 4 quetiapine. That should knock me out, it would likely knock out a buffalo. Solid 10-12 hours' sleep. Sleep mask, earplugs and apnea mouthguard.
Sleeping sitting up can be challenging, but you just gotta find a position that works for you. I always wadded up my hoodie or something as a pillow.
As far as sensory goes, I find the noise from cars, planes, and buses to provide that level of noise that drowns out the million thoughts.
Side sleeper, though I’m trying to train myself to sleep on my back for camping reasons. I have zero trouble sleeping in vehicles as long as they’re in motion. A stopped car/bus/train/plane is just *wrong*
It’s been years since I’ve been on a train or a plane. I will say that whenever my husband and I have to go anywhere with our daughter for longer than 30 minutes, I will fall asleep so quickly. My husband is kind of convinced I might have sleep apnea that hasn’t been diagnosed yet, but I also feel like my sleeping habits are garbage.
I can only sleep while moving or around random people if I'm like, totally exhausted. I have to have been up for 24+ hours or have done some heavy labour or something.
Yep- I cannot sleep in a moving vehicle like a car... unless I am able to have a pillow or something situate my head and I can block out light (as it is very distracting)- and I cannot be moving around too much.
Been getting sleep deprived since the late 90's when my mom would wake me up at 5am as a preschooler and she always said I could fall asleep in the back of the car. Never did- the lights always bothered me and I could feel every motion. I can still feel the discomfort to this day.
Anyways, I'm at a high risk for dementia at this point so maybe one day I'll forget that happened.
Sensory issues aren't that common with ADHD on it's own. But people with ADHD are vastly more likely than average people to be on the Autism spectrum, which tends to come with a large selection of sensory issues, which vary a lot between individuals.
ADHD does come with having trouble to fall asleep, not knowing how to turn the brain off, so to speak, but you'd usually grow out of this as you get older.
True. True.
I just can’t for the life of fall asleep sitting up and casual conversation, nothing validated, that ADHD are assumed to be more side sleepers and I wonder if that
applied to maybe why I can sleep sitting.
Everyone is different. :)
Huh? Sensory issues commonly co-occur with ADHD alone. Many journal articles on Google scholar about this. Most articles are on children with ADHD, but you get the idea. Here’s one:
[Sensory Problems in Children With ADHD](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C3&q=sensory+processing+adhd+review&oq=sensory+processing+adhd#d=gs_qabs&t=1717466925348&u=%23p%3DeTn0ETB-q-YJ)
“Sensory processing problems in children with ADHD are more common than in typically developing children.”
I definitely attribute my inability to sleep on planes or in cars to my sensory issues. My ears don’t turn off and I can’t seem to get comfortable.
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Long drives/rides make me feel so shitty. I CANNOT sleep in any kind of transportation. I just get tired and miserable. I never thought about why though. People act like I am lying when I say I can’t sleep in a car/plane. So it’s nice to know other people also just can’t do it.
Same!! I’ve also noticed I rarely if ever get motion sickness, UNLESS I’ve taken my Ritalin. I can read for fun in the car, but when I need to be productive and work, which typically requires the meds, I suddenly get motion sickness. Cursed.
Oh I am a very motion sick prone person. Elevators make me sick. Those VR head sets. Trying to look at anything while in motion. Reading or watching a show are not an option for me. My meds don’t make a difference for me either way. I can only listen to something like music or a podcast while looking strait ahead.
I'm the same way! Can't even watch when my kids go on a carousel or a swing. Dramamine, even the non drowsy type, makes me super drowsy, so I rarely use it. Does anything give you relief?
Wow. That is really bad. I can at least watch a carousel. I hate that for you. I have never found anything that helps. Dramamine also makes me sleepy no matter what kind. Yet, I still cannot sleep in a vehicle even with Dramamine. Haha. Things like being in the front seat of a car make me feel less crappy. But nothing has ever made me able to sleep/watch or read things while moving.
Same. Cheers to us and our charming vestibular systems 🙃
Yep, same here.
I dunno, I fall asleep on airplanes super fast and easy. At home? Not so much.
I sleep so hard on planes. It’s my favorite part of traveling. Take off is like a delicious weighted blanket.
And sometimes you even get to get a head start on adjusting your circadian rhythm! Win. But sometimes the view is just so damn beautiful you don't want to miss a thing. I embarrassingly used to drool because I could sleep so hard on a plane. I'm not so embarrassed now that I'd usually wear a scarf on flight. Just that bit of extra support around my neck seems to keep my mouth closed more. Plus, I still wear masks on flights so nobody be seeing me drool anyways.
I would give almost anything to be like this on planes
I fall asleep sleep faster and sleep better on planes than I do at home in my own bed with melatonin. Maybe they should just start creating beds that mimic planes taking off
Just the rumbling on the runway part, or with the force? Wonder whether it'd have to be a centrifuge bed..
I would sleep so well in a centrifuge bed!!! I should suggest this to my husband. LOL!
Good luck! I hope he's a handy guy! 
Just chiming in as another "I immediately pass out in any moving vehicle" data point for anyone keeping track. I also get motion sickness easily, so I think that I've spent so much time falling asleep from keeping my eyes closed to try and not puke that I've somehow pavloved my body into sleeping immediately when I'm in motion.
I can sleep sitting up, but I can't sleep on planes, trains or cars. For me at least, I think it probably has more to do with my brain being hyper-aware of the other people around me and the constantly changing environment than anything else.
This is my problem for sure. I recently was privileged enough to fly across the world in a business class seat that allowed me to essentially lay down, so I laid down and listened to people walk by me (over the calming music from my headphones) for 10 hours. Red eye flight, too, but my body decided it was more important to remain vigilant than to sleep in a 24-hour period. I pretty much lose all functionality while flying though, except drinking, peeing, and guarding my space.
Interesting. I would if that is part of my problem.
I’m a lifelong chronic sleep maintenance insomniac and public transportation is my only guaranteed sleep hack! I get downright giddy about about air travel because I know I’m gonna sleep—I have to fight to stay awake if I want to attempt doing anything (wake me for snacks!) My brain just instantly shuts down for a disc defragmentation on every plane, bus or train! Spouse and I recently learned I can sleep through turbulence 😅 however if I’m solo traveling, I’m less likely to sleep—gonna be alert when I’m in my own. There’s something about not having to be in charge of ANY part of the transit that lets me let go. I can even travel nap on a full dose of adderall lol.
I am very jealous. Lol Yet, very happy for you!
Trust me, I’d trade it for the ability to sleep consistently. I don’t travel enough for it to make up for the deep sleep deficit I’m running over here!
Me too! Five minutes in the train and it's lights out. My insomnia used to be extreme. So once a week I would catch a train to wherever, get off after a couple hours and catch the first train back home. Just so I could sleep.
If I could hop on a long train for sleep, I absolutely would! You cannot imagine how jealous I am you get to do that 😭
This is 100% me as well
Yeeep, I'm a good sleeper in my own bed, when the doors and windows are cool closed, the duvet is pulled right up my to chin, and I assume one of the two acceptable sleeping positions... But you won't catch me napping ever or sleeping any way that doesn't meet those strict requirements haha.
Yeah I can’t sleep really unless I am on my side/stomach, one leg up, and T-Rex arms lol. Even if it’s a 14 hour flight like what you said. I got upgraded to first class on an 8 hr flight and I was able to get like 2 hrs of sleep cuz I could lie down and that was worth it 😅
I need to tell me this sorcery of being upgraded to first class. Which fairy godmother/godfather did you speak with? Also, I guess I am both a side/stomach person too and have no idea what to do with my arms. Haha Sleeping on my back or chair sleeping is impossible as I’ve aged. In addition the thermostat has to be at 65ish degrees at night.
Haha I just basically cuddle a squishmellow while I sleep (I‘m in my 30‘s). Unfortunately I have no magic powers of my own but my wife travels for work so had the right status…we couldn’t afford it on our own and I sure wish we could cuz it was a game-changer and now I wish I never knew what it was like 😅😅😅
How easily other people fall asleep has always been a mystery to me. As a kid I interpreted "I'm going to nap here for a bit" as "I'm going to close my eyes for a bit and tune out of everything because I'm tired and I don't want anyone to talk to me". I thought we were playing pretend, I didn't know they were actually going to sleep. "I'll sleep on the way there" also registers as denying you're fucked. I don't even try. The idea of nodding off sitting up in a noisy public place is so ridiculous. I do get tired enough that I can't stand looking at my phone or doing anything, and have to pretend to sleep.
I love my noise cancelling earbuds. If I have trouble sleeping, binaural waves, meditation music, nature sounds usually help do the trick. Hits that sweet spot of occupying just enough of my brain space and drowning out other background noise. I am usually fucked though cause I stay up late to do my last minute packing or squeeze out an extra night of fun, so the sleep is much welcomed. Definitely haven't figured out how to not get as sore during longer flights, though. I might take my shoes off or stick my legs further into the underseat area. Considered getting a feet hammock. I hardly ever put my seat back, and if I did, it'd only be the tiniest bit and during lights out time.
I can sleep on a plane if i lay my head on the tray table but then the person in front of me tries to recline and crush my head...
Cannot relate. I’m pretty confident in my ability to fall asleep just about anywhere.
Anywhere but my actual bed
I’m a stomach sleeper. I can’t sleep while sitting. The best I can do is snooze. For a few minutes. However, my very hyperactive dad can sleep while sitting. For hours. Especially when ‘watching’ a film.
We have a deficiency in a gene that makes it so we cannot produce the sleep hormone affectively affecting our circadian rhythm among other factors adhd related
Which sleep hormone? Why did my sleep specialist never mention that?!? (rhetorical question)
[CLOCK Polymorphisms in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Further Evidence Linking Sleep and Circadian Disturbances and ADHD](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6410065/) study says > In this study, we tested the association between the CLOCK gene and ADHD using family data. We included several genetic markers to comprehensively cover the gene extension. Our results point toward a haplotype risk effect of the gene on ADHD. [..] Several lines of evidence link the CLOCK gene with ADHD. First, the CLOCK gene has an important function in dopaminergic regulation as well as in neurocognitive function, both pathways linking wake/sleep patterns to ADHD etiology [13,16]. Second, the expression of genes involved in neuronal migration is regulated by CLOCK, and its dysregulation was reported to disrupt coexpressed gene networks implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders [37]. The literature has also reported that the circadian rhythm may play an essential role on the effect of ADHD treatment medication [4,38]. Finally, in humans, an association between the CLOCK gene and psychiatric disorders has already been reported [3,5].
Because you’re a cash cow (I’m kidding ily also melatonin or something)
I can fall asleep on my back, but it's difficult, and I'll inevitably wake up on my side later. Sleeping on planes or trains where I can't lay flat somehow is almost never. If my husband is driving and I can lay the seat back, then I can do it, though. My theory was always about resting heart rate and BP, only laying flat. Let's mine go low enough for sleep to be possible. The recent trip was from Osaka to Tokyo to Dallas to Ohio, over 28 hours in transit, and not even a tiny bit of sleep.
Can NEVER sleep on planes, trains or automobiles lol. I can only ever sleep on my face. Lately sometimes I can turn over to the side during the night. Not sure if it's an adhd thing but it's definitely true for me.
Cannot sleep on transport unless it's a a bed, can't sleep ina chair or any seating position really. Also a side sleeper even though i find it uncomfortable, i prefer laying on my back but the sensation on the back of my head prohibits me from sleeping. Feel like i only get a few decent nights sleep a year and that's usually from physical exhaustion. Fml.
I am definitely a side/front sleeper. Partially sensory because it's just feels incorrect to sleep on my back, but also I have nightmares if I do? I can sleep pretty easily in cars especially on the highway where there's not much changes in speed or direction. Whether I can sleep on a plane is so unpredictable. Some flights I can sleep before we even leave the runway, and some flights I'll so badly want to sleep but just _can't_.
I’m a side sleeper and I also can’t really sleep on planes. The only time I can sleep in economy is if I have my travel pillow, it’s not too cold, it’s not too loud, I take 2 clonazepam, I have an eye mask and earplugs, and even then the stars have to align lol. I’m very lucky if I can get just 1 hour of sleep in economy even on a 10-15 hour flight. It’s extremely rare for me. In business class on the other hand, it’s obviously much easier. Still need clonazepam, sleep mask, earplugs, etc, but I actually do get some sleep. There have been maybe 1-2 times in business class that I still couldn’t sleep, but usually I can. Flying 10-15 hours in economy and not sleeping at all is so awful and uncomfortable. Especially with adhd. Meanwhile my bf passes out within minutes and sleeps the whole time lol 😒
Yeah, exactly. Even if I'm so exhausted that I can't think straight anymore, I still wouldn't be able to fall asleep when I'm travelling. The only exception is when I have to drive myself, I fall asleep easily behind the wheel. It sucks.
Yes I also have that issue and just try to accept it and make sure that if I do fall asleep it’s okay and just to try to adjust to the time when I get to my destination. I often will volunteer to drive on road trips early just to I can sleep at the destination. For flights just make a nice list of movies 🎥
If I cross my arms and legs I’m pretty good at falling asleep and sleeping anywhere I’m in a chair. It also helps my untreated sleep apnea makes me constantly tired. But that’s another post.
Yes!! I was just talking about this to someone the other day! I have always wondered why I have to lay down to sleep. Car rides are impossible to sleep in because the motion. I have never been able to fall asleep at my desk at school or on my break at work. I did fall asleep on an airplane once and it was literally the best sleep of my life. Maybe because of the noise.. 🤷🏻♀️
I cannot sleep on planes. It’s a living hell. I’m a little better in my older age.
I can't sleep in anything that moves. I've had a couple 15+ hour plane rides.... Worst 15 hours spent ever. Not only can't sleep, but everyone else IS asleep and I need to keep quiet and also, I'm tall and don't fit easily in those damned seats....
I’m not tall but for everything else, we’re in the same boat. For me, when I see everyone sleeping, I trying reading, watching a movie, play game, etc. That’s when I enter my hyper stage and nothing will entertain me and I still can’t sleep. Rapid fire task cancellation. Lol I’ve gotten lucky one time where I had the whole three seats to myself by asking flight attendants if I could move. I was able to lay down with personal neck pillow and blanket, as long as I remained buckled and did not obstruct the aisle. I felt as if I was in first class.
I’m spending a lot more on a 10 hour overnight flight just so that I can lay down in order to sleep.
I have the opposite problem. I have so much trouble falling asleep even in my very comfortable bed but on a plane train or auto I am knocked out instantly. I had a flight attendant wake me because I feel asleep before takeoff and the flight instructions. If only I could sleep that good at home.
my escape as a child in situations I was made to sit still and quiet in an uncomfortable place (church mostly, school a bit too lol) was to pass the hell out, so I'm really good at sleeping on long rides. Had to make a 14 hour flight a few weeks ago, slept at least 10 hours of it. Woke up stiff as heck, but it made the flight go a lot quicker.
Nah white noise help me sleep like a baby usually. Also, I'm sorry to be rude, but this is quite a dumb question, most people can't sleep well in these situations, adhd or not. I've noticed it's something quite frequently observed in this subs, people relate every small insignificant and dumb things too adhd.. Like asking does most adhd people like chocolates? (Ofc, most people like it..)
I’m strictly curious if it’s a sensory issue of being able to sleep sitting up, not just traveling. I cannot sleep sitting in a chair unless it reclines.
Yes, it’s pretty much impossible.
When I'm in any kind of transportation the only way I sleep is what I call the Standby-Mode. It's usually just the kind of state I'm in right before I fall asleep. My eyes are closed and I can hear everything going on around me, but I also start to dream already and my train of thought gets more and more illogical. I sometimes call it 'Dolphin sleep', because it really feels as if just one half of my brain was asleep
Not sure if this is an ADHD thing. ADHD folk are indeed far more likely than average to have sleep issues. And, like you, I can almost never sleep on planes, buses, etc. But I'm not sure if that's due to the sitting up or if it's due to other factors, like the stimulating nature of being in a relatively-unusual setting.
I’m extremely unlikely to ever sleep on a plane. It could be ADHD, but it’s far more likely the fact that most airlines have intentionally designed their economy seats to be torture devices.
Dude one time i had 3 connecting flights making it a total of 22 hours of flights and layovers, I couldn’t close an eye ffs… and it was the same on the way back… I can t even sleep in the car
I can’t sleep sitting up. I envy those that can and those that can just pass out at the snap of a finger. I generally can’t sleep on my back so when I’m sick and I can sleep on my side… it’s a loooong miserable night
I swear this sub acts like every little thing in the world is ADHD related. “Does anyone else ever get hungry? Lol we’re so unique.”
Yes, and I get restless leg something fierce when I do.
Yep. I get Ambien for long flights
I can sleep when I want as long as its a nap. Once its time for bed, it takes me like 2-3 hours to get to bed so that's fun. But for naptime? Or back when I slept during the day and worked at night? No problems at all.
Complete opposite. We drive up the ride to a friends house and in our like a light. I can fall asleep standing. Our car rides are the only times I get naps with 3 kids running around lol. Planes I can’t sleep on to save my life. I’m always worried the snack cart is gonna hit me or someone needs to be let out the aisle to use the bathroom.
I mean everyone is different. Maybe the kids are your white noise lol I should’ve mentioned I’m a drooler. Lol Thankfully, it’s both practical and socially acceptable to wear a mask. Win-win. That’s also a down side of the aisle seat but it’s my favorite. Only because I can only sit for so long and I don’t want to bother anyone.
Give me an anti-anxiety pill and some headphones and I’m great on a flight, but I also love the liminal space of air travel.
I accept it. What I don’t accept is the lack of morning flights from Eastern North America to Europe. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
put me in a car for over an 2 hours and I’m most likely gonna nap. Planes too, but that’s harder. As long as I have something to lean my head against.
I am comatose on all of the above
I can pretty easily fall asleep in the car. Anywhere else I need to be laying down. I think I've fallen asleep sitting up on a couch maybe twice.
This is definitely not my experience. I once fell asleep in a Tilt-O-Whirl. I thrive on motion, it’s extremely relaxing for me. No motion sickness, in fact I once went on a whale watch that they nearly cancelled due to the weather. There were 8 foot swells rocking the boat so bad we had to all sit on the top deck, people were puking all over the place, I took a nap.
Well, it’s not the motion but position I’m interested in. I’m the same as you. I can fall asleep with no motion sickness and enjoy the rocking. Yet, I need to be laying down in order to do so. Hopefully, you were able to see whales. I’d love the chance to see a blue whale … pod?
We saw a ton of whales later on! I don’t need to be laying down, I’m always good!
I see things like long car rides and plane trips as a time for inexplicable productivity (usually for knitting or reading) and I get mad at myself when I don’t use the entire time to work on that because I guess it’s a controlled environment that doesn’t allow for much distraction. I still get detracted a lot though lol but that’s besides the point.
Not sure if it’s adhd related, but I’ve never been able to sleep on planes, and I can only sleep in the car if very sleepy and then still jerk awake often with the slight turn or shift in car.
Sometimes I can and sometimes I can't, a little hard to predict because it depends on my overall jitter level, and whether I can get reasonably comfortable (physically / smells / light level / noise level). I think I was on one of those planes where the seat pitch is a little steep, _that_ was the absolute worst. If it helps, I've heard that even taking the attitude of just resting your eyes and letting your mind drift can have a restorative effect, for however long you might be able to manage -- not as good as sleeping, but still something.
I took a flight to Paris and took naps about 20 minutes each. I cannot sleep in cars, planes, buses, or trains. I can sleep on boats.
In the exact same boat, on a plane, car, the most I can get is like that half sleep, where you're tired and you're laying down, eyes closed but no sleeping. Like the last little but of your brain is still awake but if you get roused ur still sleepy idk. TLDR yea and yes I'm a side sleeper too
It was nice when I had to fly during COVID. I'd get a whole middle row to myself on international flights. It was like having a flying couch
Wait, that’s an ADHD thing? I thought I just hated sleeping so I’d talk until my dad told me to be quiet and I got bored so I fell asle- oooooooohhhhhh
I’m most comfortable on my side and prefer side sleeping. I do rotate through the night to my back and other side. I have to be able to adjust my position or I’m not comfortable. And I don’t like sleeping sitting up. Idk seems to me most people prefer laying down to sleep. But the first half of my life I could sleep anywhere. It was more of an issue of trying to stay awake especially in cars or the very short flights I’ve been on. I slept through most of my Highschool classes. As I’ve aged it’s gotten better. I think my hyper activity is in my head. Sleep was a kind of an escape from struggling with my executive dysfunction. Plus I had health problems and chronic fatigue. I wasted so much time sleeping.
I’m very good at sleeping in vehicles and always have been. I think I find the motion soothing, like a baby or something lol I am only ok at planes because they’re pretty uncomfortable and there’s too many people around.
I completely pass out on car rides that are more than an hour. I'm pretty sure it's bc when I was a baby my parents would put me in my car seat on top of the dryer and turn it on so I'd go to sleep.
I cannot sleep on planes. I have 3 different neck pillows hoping that one will finally feel comfortable enough for me (they don’t). I almost always choose window, hoping that having something to lean against will provide some sort of encouragement to fall asleep (it doesn’t). I love traveling, but it’s torture in a way because I’ll be up late the night before packing, so minimal sleep, and then I still can’t fall asleep on a plane. I’ve traveled to Europe before from the U.S., overnight flights, and will be awake for over 24 hours because nothing feels comfortable enough.
Yes. Is this an adhd thing? I cannot sleep sitting up unless I am sick, and usually not even then.
I literally have taken prescribed sleep medication for a plane flight and was awake the whole time. I just get too stressed
Travel sleep is the best sleep! I’m a nervous flyer and have to sit by the window. I have some chronic pain issues, but if I can get myself in the perfect position against the window, the right music playing on my phone, and my travel blanket tucked in just right, then I’m out like a light after take-off. This usually only works for flights under 2.5 hours because of my pain, but I’m usually okay if I get up and walk around. It's the same for road trips. I find it hard to sleep on trains since there are so many stops. I’m always afraid that I’ll miss mine.
Lay down or not there's no "I'm going to bed, goodnight" for me. I need to be completely exhausted and pass out, there's no planning bedtime or I'm gonna sleep on this flight. My bed barely gets use for this reason, I often fell asleep at my desk, on my living room floor, the only way to sleep is pass out otherwise my brain will keep me up all night with the most random bs thoughts 🥲
This, I even had a therapist say "well you've tried all the tricks in the book to get a sleep schedule idk what to tell ya" even when I'm dumb tired like I am rn(30+ hours no sleep) as soon as I hit that bed I'm wide awake, get up go to couch out like a light
Could never sleep in a car. Like ever. Even as a kid. Overnight planes? Yes. Busses? Sometimes. I get worked up over what's going on along the road or with the scenery and what I might miss if i fall asleep.
In the car no problem, on the train is hard for me. But I traveled a lot in my childhood by car and was sleeping all the way.
Yes. It's a living nightmare.
I’m also a side sleeper and I can’t really fall asleep sitting up. I’ve never thought of it as related to ADHD though. That’s an interesting idea. I wonder if it’s related to how I also can’t just fall asleep randomly like watching a movie or reading a book, like I have to want to fall asleep and do it on purpose. About the side sleeping, I went to a massage therapist once who said that I was side sleeping because I needed something on the side of my face, which sounds like the sensory thing you’re talking about. I tried sleeping with pillows next to both sides of my face and it did seem to help, but I eventually went back to side sleeping because it’s more comfortable for me.
I must sleep on my side or stomach, I need movement, I can't sleep and lay still, my back gets all tense and antsy otherwise. As for the planes yes... OMG YES how tf are you suppose to sleep while being straight up and stiff as a pole. The only reason I can do a car is because the vibrations and bumps are soothing, if they become hover Im done for, caput, finité
I cannot sleep on an airplane and I have no idea why. I once stayed up 24 hours so I would fall asleep on an 8 hour flight. Reader, I did not fall asleep on that flight and I have NO IDEA how I gathered all my stuff once I landed at my destination. However, in cars or busses I can sleep. Especially if I can put my face into the window... ...yeah I dunno either.
I have to be in my side to sleep. I can sleep now in the car if I have my neck pillow and I’ve worn myself out enough. The new neck pillow was a game changer for me. It holds my neck more steady than the older ones and if I turn a little onto my side and push the seat back down a bit, I can get comfortable enough to get an hour or two of sleep. I’ll sleep on buses (long journeys 4+ hours) if I have both seats to myself and I know there won’t be many getting on. If I need to give up the second seat, the driver knows how to wake me (they’ve known me for decades) and I can try to contort myself into a position to sleep
I literally can't sleep sitting up. I can sometimes sleep on planes if I put the tray table down and basically lay my head on that. I don't know if that is an ADHD thing exclusively, but that is how I am.
No idea whether it's anything to do with ADHD, but indeed I cannot fall asleep while sitting, or on my back. I've flown to Australia from Europe, non-stop, that's a 28-hour flight, and ended up being awake for 40 hours straight - the only good thing was that it allowed me to pass out at 10pm and sleep like a baby for 10 hours, while everyone else was jetlagged AF.
Best I can get is some kind of weird dormant state—not restful in the least.
I have an easy time falling a sleep in transportation due to the monotonous sound of the engine
I am the absolute opposite. Any form of engine noise puts me straight to sleep. I’m the world’s most boring travel buddy.. I will fall asleep before the plane has taken off, and wake up after landing 😂
I can sleep everywhere, whenever and in basically every position when I am tired. I sleep on my stomach, side, back, in the car, plane, train. I can sleep on the floor and with my head resting on a table while sitting. Sometimes I sleep in childs pose. A few times in life I even fell asleep while walking and while using the restroom. Only when restless legs is hitting I am too uncomfortable to sleep. Edit: and when my hands and feet are dry.
I can only sleep lying down on my side. Once took a 29 hr journey (two flights back to back) & did not sleep once.
Yep. I can't sleep unless I'm lying down. And i typically sleep on my side.
Never have I ever slept on a plane despite taking overnight flights and multiple other flights when tired. See also: bus, car or train. My brain simply will not allow sleep when I’m not in bed. My ex-husband, who certainly has adhd also, would fall asleep within minutes in any moving plane or vehicle. While I sat there exhausted and alone for hours. He wasn’t doing anything wrong but it was reason #563 that we weren’t compatible.
I can’t sleep during travel either. It hurts me physically to stay still, so I always have to stand up, stretch, walk around and I sit in very weird positions, switching every few seconds. When I go to sleep I roll around a lot too, and I have 3 different pillows and switch them every few minutes before falling asleep because I get very uncomfortable if I feel the same kind of sensation for too long. I also have to put something directly in front of my face, otherwise I can’t sleep. It’s very annoying.
Yeah I can't sleep in vehicles like that. Also I don't nap. Wish I could. Haven't regularly since I was 18 months old.
I cant sleep in cars/planes but not because im sitting up. Even if I were to lay a car seat back to essentially laying down I couldn't. Its because I cant feel comfortable enough to sleep AND in cars I get anxious when almost anyone but me is driving.
I feel like an alien here. I can fall asleep ANYWHERE at ANY TIME as long as I'm not currently focused on something. I feel like my brain is operating at 120% all the time, so as soon as there is any chance for it to turn off, it takes it. If there's a length of time that does not demand or capture my attention, my brain shuts down. Ill add, though, that it doesn't feel like "falling asleep." It feels like "passing out." There isn't like a lay-down, unwind, drift-of type thing. I lay down and BLACKNESS for a moment, then BWEWP the lights come back on and I've time traveled forward.
I did a 32 hour flight journey with a 9 hour and a 14 hour flight and it killed. Couldn't sleep at all, though I did get into a very light sleep a couple times (like that phase you get before you actually drift off) because I literally couldn't keep my eyes open. I always sleep on my side. And I'm very tall. Planes fucking suck when you're doing journeys that long. The takeoff and landing are exciting though!
I can't sleep in those at all. Some of it is sensory and some of it is being really tall with long limbs. I'm traveling currently and it is a nightmare. If it's a 14 hour flight (usually Doha) then I do my best. If I can catch my doctor at the right time, he sometimes kicks me a 2 benzo tabs for the long flights. I also have to pick a hotel with some sort of AC that lets me run a fan for noise. I care more about the noise than the cool air sometimes.
I absolutely can not fall asleep in a sitting position. This really sucks when you live in Hawaii and none of your friends or family do.
I'm almost unable to sleep in plane, cars and trains. At best, I can drift for 10 to 20 minutes and that's it. Worst time in my life was a 12h plane flight. Slept 2h over 8h of trying. In car I can sometimes sleep 15 minutes... but that's it. In train that's the same. Dunno if that's ADHD or something else (i'm a side/stomach sleeper)
You and me, we are one and the same. Have never, ever been able to sleep sitting up. I can only sleep lying down with some sort of blanket on me, side sleep position. I’ve taken 12-15 hour international flights, and by the end of it I’ve lost my mind. But get a lot of movie watching done lol
I cannot sleep on trains/ in cars at all. On the plane however? The best sleeps of my life. Usually during take off as well.
I could sleep on a concrete floor with only a balled up sweater as a pillow. I can’t sleep on a plane worth a darn, which is not great when you have a 14hr flight and will have to deal with ultra jet lag when you land. The back of the seats lean but the seat itself doesn’t and since I have no butt whatsoever I’m constantly sliding forward in the seat. I’d fall out if I didn’t have my seatbelt on.
I can't in any form of transport, I think its the fear of loss of control/fomo.
A decade of hour long bus commutes taught me to sleep in a seat, and more, wake up when my stop is announced on the bus. Being half an hour after a four hour sleep night helps with that, I guess.
I have to have a window seat on a plane in order to lean my head against something. Then I can sleep
I had no issues sleeping in any transportation as a kid. It ain't as easy anymore but can't complain tbh.
longest flight i've been on was 11h, i did sleep but not very good. 30 minutes of sleep followed by 30 minutes awake. got about 5h of sleep but i was really tired at the end of it. im somewhat tall and i cant get comfortable in economy. i would probably be able to get some decent sleep in business class. i could probably fall asleep on a car or bus, being on the road at night is something i find very relaxing. i almost fell asleep in the car once, which is not a fun thing when you are the one driving...
yes, have been this way all my life and but i don’t think it’s an adhd thing? also a side sleeper, so if i have managed to sleep in a plane/car/etc it’s been folded up into some absurd pretzel position to try and feel like im on my side, and it would have to be a red-eye or long haul type journey where it would be an hour id be sleeping anyways. i’m just a shitty sleeper tho, it’s like i just don’t get tired. it’s taken me years of forcing a sleep schedule to even be able to fall asleep sorta consistently by midnight at the earliest. very annoying… meanwhile my sister and husband can both basically sleep on demand and im like, how??? if i have to be up at 5am? best i can do is achieve sleep by 1am, even if i was up at 5am that day and worked all day 🫠 whyyyyyyyy haha
When I was younger I had trouble sleeping in my bed because I was always anxious about my homework being done properly but found that I was rarely sleepy in car rides because I was always day dreaming while staring out the window. As an adult with ADHD I can knock out pretty much anywhere. Since my mid 20's before I was diagnosed, I just felt so exhausted all the time. If I'm not driving, I am knocking out in the car. Movies, church, presentations I was knocking out. Since starting Concerta, I've had a lot more energy and feel less tired in general even when I get less than 5 hrs of sleep.
I am 100% unable to sleep in am moving vehicle of any type. I also used to get car sick horribly as a child.
The only time i've ever passed out while not laying down, was after a night of partying on a certain horse tranquilizer. I'm a stomach sleeper, if i'm on my side i'm leaning on my body pillow, with my weight being on my front and not my side
Can't sleep on planes (or other public transport), unless I'm very tired. Tried it once with a sleeping pill and it took forever to kick in; even then I was a ligh sleeper. After all, I have trouble sleeping in my own bed. When I was younger, I was able to sleep anytime, anywhere. Lately, not so much.
I definitely do have a hard time sleeping while traveling. On planes if I am really tired I will rest my head on the tray or the window. Sometimes I doze in and out but not enough to be fully rested. I can sleep in the car if I can lay down, but sitting up I can't for sure.
It depends for me. If I can’t lean my seat back a certain way or position my body in a way I’m reclined a bit the I can’t sleep unless I’m exhausted
Yes
Idk but for me sleeping in long car rides and airplanes is sooooo easy for me but in bed not so much
Any form of travel or transport gives me far too much energy and excitement to sleep. Last year we travelled to Budapest on the other side of Europe for a festival and the entire 34 hours from leaving our house to walking into the festival grounds I was wide awake. From the bus to the airport at 6am, travelling around Vienna we stayed overnight in, the 3 hour train ride and then buses/trains the last stretch. My friends were asleep for most of it and got decent sleep in Vienna where we stayed overnight. I was awake for the entire journey. I managed to scrape maybe 30 minutes of sleep in Vienna but was otherwise alert for every moment of the buses, planes and trains we took. I'm just glad I always had a window to look outside.
It’s a great movie so I’d never fall asleep no matter the bodily position /s. Jokes aside I hate flying which contributes to my sleep deprivation… Have you ever had the chance to fly business and lay down? Did it make a difference?
God I wish I could sleep on planes. Most of the flights I take are 2 hours or less, but I've had a few whoppers including a 13 hour flight from San Francisco to Dublin, Ireland (plus the same return). On that trip to Ireland by the time we got to our hotel which was a 4 hour drive from the airport I hadn't slept in 26 hours. That 13 hour flight was maddening. I am absolutely a side sleeper. I can sleep on my back, but not very well and I snore like a freight train if I do. I can sleep in a comfy recliner or laying on a sofa, but I have to be incredibly tired and VERY bored to sleep sitting up. I have too much anxiety about flying to relax enough to sleep on a plane.
The only way in hell I'm going to sleep on a plane is with a sleeping pill. Something legit like Zolpidem, benadryl isn't gonna do it. And I can only do that if I have a traveling buddy to make sure that I don't miss my connecting flights or make blunt sexual proposals to the gay flight attendant who was being so nice to me. I'm told he was flattered, though.
I had a boss who preferred red eye flight to get home sooner from business trips. He could sleep through anything. Me on was exhausted the next day which ruined any plans of productivity or enjoyment. Never again would I take a red eye flight unless due to extreme circumstances.
I rarely sleep on planes. Flying makes me anxious and I'm just waaaay too hyper focused on every sensation I hear or see to keep my eyes shut more than a few seconds. And sleeping in a car possible, but I need a neck pillow, a sleep mask to keep out any light, and blanket or I can only focus on how cold any exposed body parts are. I used to sleep in the car way easier when I was younger, but it's gotten harder the older I get.
I used to have trouble sleeping on a plane or train. But if I had to travel on a train without a sleeping car and I had a neck pillow, I would now be able to take 2 propriomazine, 4 promethazine, 2 olanzapine and 4 quetiapine. That should knock me out, it would likely knock out a buffalo. Solid 10-12 hours' sleep. Sleep mask, earplugs and apnea mouthguard.
Sleeping sitting up can be challenging, but you just gotta find a position that works for you. I always wadded up my hoodie or something as a pillow. As far as sensory goes, I find the noise from cars, planes, and buses to provide that level of noise that drowns out the million thoughts.
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I got a mini weighted blanket (lap pad). It definitely doesn’t allow me to sleep but it helps me not want to flee.
I think most people prefer to sleep horizontally. They're called red-eye flights for a reason.
Side sleeper, though I’m trying to train myself to sleep on my back for camping reasons. I have zero trouble sleeping in vehicles as long as they’re in motion. A stopped car/bus/train/plane is just *wrong*
It’s been years since I’ve been on a train or a plane. I will say that whenever my husband and I have to go anywhere with our daughter for longer than 30 minutes, I will fall asleep so quickly. My husband is kind of convinced I might have sleep apnea that hasn’t been diagnosed yet, but I also feel like my sleeping habits are garbage.
I can only sleep while moving or around random people if I'm like, totally exhausted. I have to have been up for 24+ hours or have done some heavy labour or something.
I sleep in flights by pulling out the food tray and resting my head and arms on it. Just like sleeping on your desk in the classroom.
Yep- I cannot sleep in a moving vehicle like a car... unless I am able to have a pillow or something situate my head and I can block out light (as it is very distracting)- and I cannot be moving around too much. Been getting sleep deprived since the late 90's when my mom would wake me up at 5am as a preschooler and she always said I could fall asleep in the back of the car. Never did- the lights always bothered me and I could feel every motion. I can still feel the discomfort to this day. Anyways, I'm at a high risk for dementia at this point so maybe one day I'll forget that happened.
Sensory issues aren't that common with ADHD on it's own. But people with ADHD are vastly more likely than average people to be on the Autism spectrum, which tends to come with a large selection of sensory issues, which vary a lot between individuals. ADHD does come with having trouble to fall asleep, not knowing how to turn the brain off, so to speak, but you'd usually grow out of this as you get older.
True. True. I just can’t for the life of fall asleep sitting up and casual conversation, nothing validated, that ADHD are assumed to be more side sleepers and I wonder if that applied to maybe why I can sleep sitting. Everyone is different. :)
Huh? Sensory issues commonly co-occur with ADHD alone. Many journal articles on Google scholar about this. Most articles are on children with ADHD, but you get the idea. Here’s one: [Sensory Problems in Children With ADHD](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C3&q=sensory+processing+adhd+review&oq=sensory+processing+adhd#d=gs_qabs&t=1717466925348&u=%23p%3DeTn0ETB-q-YJ) “Sensory processing problems in children with ADHD are more common than in typically developing children.” I definitely attribute my inability to sleep on planes or in cars to my sensory issues. My ears don’t turn off and I can’t seem to get comfortable.
yes, I use eye mask, ear plugs, melatonin and most importantly: read a book difficult to understand