Self-care strategies
As with other conditions, there are general lifestyle factors that can modify the expression of ADHD symptoms.
It is important to improve and optimise general wellbeing through healthy diet, regular exercise, sleep hygiene, reducing alcohol and substance use, and reducing caffeine intake.
Look after yourself
Maintain a good diet
Remember to look after yourself and make sure you have a good diet with regular meals.
It is easy to become distracted and miss out on meals and getting a shower etc.
Get good sleep
Get a good sleep routine of going to bed at a regular time.
Not getting enough sleep can make you more irritable and affect your concentration.
Make a list of tasks
Use your phone to create a list of things to do and reminders to do them and set yourself
Make a list and set yourself timers for each task.
If you are in a meeting write down anything you are expected to do in a diary in case you forget.
Practical tips
We recommend the following strategies:
Exercise can help with managing the symptoms of ADHD
Provided there are no medical reasons that prevent you exercising, exercising vigorously and regularly helps work off excess physical and emotional energy in a positive way while soothing and calming the body.
This may also improve general wellbeing including sleep, mood and blood pressure.
Eating a healthy and balanced diet
Limit processed foods, sugar and caffeine improves our physical health and evens out our energy levels and mood swings.
Look after your sleep
Getting plenty of sleep helps with focus, productivity and mood.
To support this, create a consistent bedtime routine, which includes turning off screens at least one hour before bed and getting between 7-9 hours of sleep every night.
Practice better time management
Practice better time management by setting deadlines for everything (even small tasks), using timers and alarms, taking regular breaks and writing down important dates, appointments or occasions. See the link below for more ideas: