Have you ever wondered why swaddling helps babies sleep? It’s not just about warmth or security—it’s about activating deep-pressure receptors in the body, which help “organize” the brain and promote relaxation. Could this same principle work for adults?
Recently, I experienced an unusually restful 10-hour sleep. That’s rare for me! As I lay in bed the next morning, I reflected on what had changed. The only difference? A new mattress topper. Could it be stimulating those deep-pressure receptors in a way that helped my brain feel more organized?
The Science Behind Deep-Pressure Stimulation
Years ago, I interviewed Patricia Quinn, MD, a developmental pediatrician specializing in ADHD, particularly in women. She explained why swaddling works for infants:
“The tight wrapping provides feedback through their joints; those deep-pressure receptors stimulate the brain and help to organize it.”
Maybe that’s what happened to me—except instead of a blanket wrapping me tightly, my mattress topper was cradling my body, providing that same deep-pressure stimulation.
Simple Strategy: Organizing the Brain for Sleep
Before you suggest a “Sleep Comfort” bed—we have one! My husband likes it, but I never found it comfortable. Lower settings lack support, and cranking it up leaves this side sleeper with sore shoulders and hips. My solution? A twin-size mattress topper just for my side.
Not long after, I came across the Magic Merlin, a onesie-style baby suit that helps sleep-fussy infants. There are various styles and sizes. Judging by the rave reviews, the concept of deep-pressure support is well appreciated!
ADHD and Sleep: A Complex Puzzle
While my great night’s sleep wasn’t directly ADHD-related, the connection is worth exploring. ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, sensory processing disorder, and even normal aging can affect sleep patterns. Deep-pressure stimulation might help in ways we don’t fully understand yet.
ADHD-related sleep challenges are numerous, including conditions like:
- Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (trouble falling asleep at a typical time)
- Sleep Apnea (which can worsen ADHD symptoms)
- Daytime Disorganization (which spills over into restless nights)
For almost 20 years, sleep was a major topic in my local Adult ADHD group. As a result, I’ve written a lot about ADHD and sleep. For example, in 2009, this post sparked significant discussion: Adult ADHD and Sleep: Puzzling the Pieces. You’ll find links to more posts on ADHD and sleep below.
Getting Organized for Sleep—Without Overheating
Many adults with ADHD instinctively seek deep-pressure stimulation—often by piling on heavy blankets. But that can create a new problem: overheating.
My husband, for example, sleeps under a heavy wool blanket without waking up. He doesn’t feel hot, though his body heats up the entire Cal King mattress. Meanwhile, I’m strategically placing ice packs to counteract his human-furnace effect!
Some people with ADHD tell me they crank up the AC just so they can comfortably use a heavyweight blanket.
For these folks, a weighted blanket might be a good option. They feel heavy but they don’t heat up like traditional blankets. Keep in mind: Many require hand-washing. You could also try making your own, as demonstrated here.
Mattress Toppers — Something for Everyone
Traditional memory foam toppers tend to trap heat, making sleep uncomfortable. Our older Sleep Comfort bed (a giant piling up of foam) runs hot, too. But the newer mattress toppers claim to be cooler—and there’s no shortage of choices. I tend to sleep hot, so I still find my mattress topper to be on the warm, it’s worth it.
By the way, here’s mine but again, there are tons of choices: Mattress Topper King, 3 Inch Gel Memory Foam Bed Topper for King Size Bed, CertiPUR-US Certified, Blue
Sometimes Costco offers mattress toppers. If it doesn’t work out, it’s easy to return locally.
The first night, I woke up early due to the heat. But the next night, I switched to a very light blanket. That switch allowed the mattress topper to provide the pressure instead. That was my glorious 10-hour sleep night—it felt like being back in high school!
The Bottom Line
If you sleep better under a heavy blanket but find it too hot—or too costly to keep the AC blasting—consider a mattress topper instead. Who knows? It might be a simple ADHD sleep strategy that pays off big.
In my case, it doesn’t seem to matter whether the pressure comes from above (a blanket) or below (a supportive mattress topper). Both seem to activate those deep-pressure receptors that help organize the brain for better sleep.
For More Information on ADHD Sleep Strategies:
Antidepressants, ADHD, and Sleep Apnea: The Overlooked Risks
Optimizing Physical Strategies — The Missing Piece in ADHD Treatment
I would love to hear your questions and solutions around ADHD and Sleep.
Gina
14 thoughts on “Simple ADHD Sleep Strategy: Organize Your Brain!”
Hi Gina,
Lots of great pubs here in London UK! Let me know if you’re visiting?
Btw, forgot to mention a truly fantastic website for all sorts of fabulously-engineered sounds: ADHD, meditation, nature, sleeping, loads and loads and loads (I like the cat purring…) Its at http://www.mynoise.net and it’s free although a donation is welcome and appreciated. **Definitely** worth checking out.
Love, Josie
Nice!
I’ll definitely let you know if I visit!
g
Gina, that’s hilarious!! How many breeds of sheep do you know? Fences… hedges, stonewalls, picket, creosote wooden, electric (how to fry your lamb… ), gangster fencing – get rid of stolen sheep, foiling fencing “on guard”, offence-ing… ?? just another random tangent.
Stop replying… I can’t resist coming back, you’re too much fun.
I’m off to count Roman numerals. C: 100. years old: (telegram from the Queen / King}
I-X: coming ready or not. …
X, IX, VIII, VII, VI, V, IV, minutes to annihilation… thanks so much Trump OCD (Openly Corrupt Despot)
B: bored now…
ROTFL! Yes, all of those things — and more!
Josie, I am quite sure that we could never meet in a pub. I’d be laughing so loudly I’d get us kicked out. But we could always try. lol
g
Hi Gina, you know I think you’re you’re Fabulous but seriously… counting?? Counting anything… Sheep, numbers, hours, ex-boyfriends//girlfriends, missed opportunities, kilometers to walk down to the bottom of the grand Canyon vs kilometers to walk back up again (9.7 down, 13. 9 up), seconds left before hitting the ground if you don’t pull your parachute… (oops, too late 🙂
Somewhere there is a ‘Count’. (“I am The Count. I love to count. Stay still my little pets while I count you. One, two…”) Or is that just British TV for kids?
Ah, gotta stop wandering off on tangents… how many is that today… words beginning with “t” thoughtful, tangerine, typing, torpid, tablets?! tedious… tut!
‘Till later… Thx! Turning off now…
haha! I know….it’s very dull! But at ther end of the day, I am “cognitively tired”!
I used to try counting sheep but then my mind started asking, what breed of sheep, what kind of fence, what exactly does this all look like? Back to numbers!
g
I found this recently. Cognitive Shuffle seems more fun than counting sheep, lavender pillow sprays, etc
if overthinking keeps you awake, you’re not alone. Racing thoughts can trap your brain in high-alert mode, making it impossible to drift off. That’s where the Cognitive Shuffle comes in – a quirky but effective cognitive behavioural therapy technique designed to disrupt anxious thought loops and lull you to sleep.
Here’s how to do it:
Pick a neutral word, like “pillow.”
Think of as many unrelated words as possible that start with the same letter (“paper,” “penguin,” “pasta”).
Once you run out of ideas, move to the next letter in your word.
Keep going until you fall asleep.
The technique works because it occupies your brain just enough to block out stress, but not enough to keep you awake. It’s like counting sheep – but way more fun and effective.
Tip: If negative thoughts creep in, don’t fight them. Just acknowledge them and return to your word shuffle.
Sleep well 🙂
Josie G
That sounds very useful, Josie. Thanks for sharing it. I will pass it on on my Facebook page,
My semi equivalent of that has been counting backwards from 100. Like one does when they put the anesthesia cup over one’s mouth in surgery. But this sounds more… Compelling.
G
I have made weighted blankets in the past when there weren’t any to be, way before online shopping, that made sense. However, while it can be done, I’m glad I was able to purchase the one I’m using now. What I do to regulate myself is stick my foot outside the covers and I find that really helpful.
It helps me fall asleep and now w/ my CPAP machine I do get more restful sleep in a whole variety of ways. I wish I could sleep longer and still working on that.
My night time ritual makes a difference, Nitey Nite tea, having an evening walk and some other exercise during day, not eating too late, and also soothing music (I have a particular metta chant that gets played) to cue my brain it’s time to go to sleep.
Hi Mar,
Thanks for your comment.
Yes we have no shortage of commercial weighted blankets these days.
Sounds like you’ve come up with a routine that works for you… and that gives your brain all-important signaling…. Time for bed!
Kudos!
Gina
For many years I slept with heavy blankets piled high. The heavier the better.
I have also tried the sleep number bed and although I initially liked it, I quickly grew to loathe it for the same reasons you spoke of: sore shoulders and hips and the seeming inability to find Goldlocks’ sweet number.
Which brings me to my current situation. I ditched the weight of blankets and have been sleeping on a true memory foam mattress (not a “topper”) for the past 5 years and it too has about gotten on my last (sleepless) nerve.
A – H A !
Reading your story produced an A-HA! moment for me — because I recently, and accidentally, started doing this and I just realized that, reading your comments, although it doesn’t make an enormous difference in the quality or quantity of my sleep, it does help me fall asleep a little faster. (Bonus for an A.D.D. brain!)
The A-Ha! I recently bought a new bedspread for my bed and one day as I was placing fresh sheets and blankets on it, the OCD part of my brain had me tucking everything in. EVERYTHING. Military style. Seriously. You could bounce a quarter off it everything was tucked in that tight.
I liked the way my bed bed looked, and it contributed to the overall look of my bedroom as I was in the process of redecorating it, so tucking everything in became a habit. At night I just peel one corner of the covers back and slide into my “swaddle”.
I am fortunate in that I currently sleep solo — I don’t think the average person would understand my envelope, nor do I believe I want to share it!
Hi Carrie,
I’m so happy that this blog post produced an “a-ha” moment.
I was starting to wonder if I was in left field. lol!
Growing up, we definitely had “hospital corners” and tucked-in sheets. Now that you mention it, I remember sliding my legs into that somewhat tight “envelope” in the cold winter months, and feeling somewhat “settled.”
I wonder if this is a wholesale cultural change, and might even account to seemingly increased sleep problems. At least, in part, with all the other myriad factors.
Thanks for writing,
g
Being an ADHD person I’ve always had problems to quiet my mind at night, to start I took prescribed sleep medication for 2 years before it became ineffective. After reading Dr. Amen’s book about ADHD in reference to sleep disorders I have been sleeping like a baby. I only have to take 1 GABA (500mg) and 2 Valerian pills to feel tired, want to go sleep and do it. My sleep has become better I actually wake up rested. I’m able to work with my anxiety, I feel like a different person. I sure recommend Dr. Amen’s book ‘Healing ADD’.
Thanks for the tip, Veronica. I, too, am fan of “Healing ADD,” one of the first solid books I found on the topic years ago.
Glad you are getting good sleep. It makes a world of difference!
tx
g