| Falling Asleep - An ADD Nightmare
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| | down, I find it best to adhere to a
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| By ADD Coach Jennifer Koretsky
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| | routine. Ihave to schedule my activities
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| © Copyright 2003
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| | for the evening, and notallow myself to
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| Like many "night people," I have a hard
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| | get caught up in anything that I
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| time waking up inthe morning, but I have
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| | findengaging, like emailing, talking on
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| an even harder time falling asleepat
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| | the phone, or evenpicking up an
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| night. When I spoke to my doctor about
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| | interesting book.
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| this problem, sheoffered me a very simple
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| | When scheduling your evenings and
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| solution: take three hours to
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| | developing a routine,whether it is for
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| "wind down" before bed. Don't do anything
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| | yourself or your child, identify the
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| stimulating inthe evening that will
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| | oneor two things that usually provide the
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| engage your brain. Relax, unwind,
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| | most stimulation andeliminate them from
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| andyou'll find yourself falling asleep
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| | the pre-bedtime hours. In my ownroutine,
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| much easier at night.
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| | I begin my wind down by shutting off my
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| Sounds simple, right? Not when you have
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| | computerright after dinner. This prevents
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| ADD!
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| | me from getting caught upin email,
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| People with ADD (also known as Attention
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| | research, or any other number of
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| Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD)
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| | interestingthings that the Internet has
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| often findthemselves chronically tired
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| | to offer.
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| during the day, but unable tosleep at
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| | The next thing to consider when planning
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| night. This can be true for adults and
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| | your routine is toschedule in "down time"
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| kids alike.
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| | for some serious relaxing. For me,this
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| Some of us seem to have our own internal
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| | can mean taking 15 minutes to meditate,
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| schedule - a bodyand mind that want to
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| | going for awalk with my dog, or even just
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| sleep all day and be productive atnight.
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| | sitting in my favorite chairand breathing
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| Unfortunately, most of the world doesn't
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| | deeply. Whatever it is, I do it alone.
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| work thisway. Many people with ADD have a
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| | And finally, set up a "signal" that will
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| schedule to conform to, andfind
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| | let your body knowit's time to start
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| themselves suffering with sleepless
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| | shutting down. The very last thing I doat
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| nights and sluggishdays.
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| | night is brush my teeth. This is my
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| But if we have a possible solution -
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| | signal to my body andmind that the day is
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| don't do anythingstimulating three hours
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| | now over and it is time to rest. Youmay
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| before bed - then why do we stillhave a
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| | choose to do some light reading, tuck in
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| problem? I know that if I can manage to
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| | the kids, ormake your lunch for tomorrow
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| spend arelaxing evening free from
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| | - what it is doesn't matter, aslong as
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| stimulation, I have a much easiertime
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| | it's the same small task repeated every
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| both falling asleep and sleeping soundly.
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| | night.
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| Unfortunately,relaxing and winding down
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| | Once you have developed your schedule,
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| in the evening isnot as easy as it seems.
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| | make it a routine.
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| Two main symptoms of ADD arehyperactivity
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| | People with ADD often work well with this
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| (which can be physical and/or mental)
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| | kind of structure.
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| andimpulsiveness. These are two things
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| | You can change the activities you plan
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| that constantly temptthe brain to get
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| | for each night, aslong as you stick to
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| active. Additionally, once a task
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| | the basics. Get your body and mind usedto
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| orproject is picked up, people with ADD
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| | winding down in the evenings, and you may
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| have the potential to
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| | just findyourself falling asleep easier
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| "hyperfocus" on it and lose track of
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| | at night!
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| time. In order to avoidthis and wind
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