The Wakeful Mind: Addressing Sleep Issues Whilst Reavaluating ADHD Medication

It occurred to me during a class about ADHD medication that my medication may not be as beneficial as it could be.  I have been on Methylphenidate for over a year and a half.  The main difference I noticed is that my brain is a little quieter.  I am still restless, fidgety, and impulsive, and I struggle with focus and concentration.  Which is basically almost everything I struggled with at the start of my journey!  

I will be honest, I rushed through titration-I was assessed privately, and it was expensive to pay privately for ADHD medication, so I was reluctant to extend the process any further than I needed to.  I was happy that my brain was quieter and settled for that.  

I've been exploring natural ways to increase dopamine levels, one of the neurotransmitters that impact ADHD: sleep, exercise, a healthy diet (with enough protein), and meditation. I'm doing all of these, apart from sleep, as I'm really struggling to sleep well. I can't even remember the last time my alarm woke me up.  I wake up early and struggle to get back to sleep, even though I'm still tired.  Very frustrating, and it has a knock-on effect on my mood and energy levels for the day. By the time my ADHD life coaching class starts at 5pm, I'm exhausted.  

I have been exploring alternative medications, and I am interested in trying Strattera.  It's a non-stimulant, unlike Methylphenidate.  Like all medications, it has several side effects, including causing tiredness and stomach aches.  However, it can be taken at night, hopefully lessening the impact of the side effects and hopefully improving sleep!  If I slept better and for long enough, I would function much better.  However, this is making me wonder whether I need to focus on 'just' improving my sleep as opposed to changing my medication.  Even though I only got just over 6 hours of sleep last night, I felt I slept well.  And I have already been a lot more productive this morning.  Maybe I need to explore further ways of improving my sleep, too.   

I will discuss this all with the psychiatrist later and see what the best plan of action is!  I would love to know your experiences with ADHD medications and how beneficial you find them.