People with ADHD live shorter lives, but it doesn't have to be that way

The four cornerstones of ADHD treatment – sleep, nutrition, movement, and mindfulness – don't just improve symptoms but can also close the 6-12 year longevity gap that exists between people with ADHD and their neurotypical peers.

• Sleep deprivation worsens ADHD-like symptoms including memory problems, impulsivity, emotional dysregulation, and attention issues
• Adults should aim for 7-9 hours of sleep nightly to manage symptoms and improve health
• People with ADHD are more likely to develop diet-related conditions like diabetes and heart disease
• A brain-healthy diet includes colorful vegetables and fruits, lean protein, whole grains, and healthy fats
• Proper hydration is crucial for brain function, not just a funny ADHD quirk
• Regular exercise improves both general health and directly mitigates ADHD symptoms
• Aerobic activity before concentrated work can significantly improve focus and performance
• Mindfulness practices reduce distractibility, impulsivity, and improve emotional regulation
• The four cornerstones work synergistically – improvement in one area strengthens your ability to improve in others

Your time is valuable, so I hope you found something useful here and that you'll join us again next time.

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to ADHD Longevity Gap
• 0:53 Sleep's Impact on ADHD Symptoms
• 1:39 Nutrition and Brain Function
• 3:21 Movement as Symptom Management
• 4:24 Mindfulness Benefits for ADHD
• 5:09 Closing Thoughts and Takeaways

Transcript

Alex Delmar: 0:00

Hello and welcome to Thoroughly ADHD. I'm Alex Delmar, a certified ADHD coach and person with ADHD. Today I'm going to explain how the four cornerstones of ADHD treatment can also lengthen your life. It is well established that the gold standard of ADHD treatment includes medication. ADHD treatment includes medication. However, medication alone is not enough to live your best possible life, or even your longest possible life.

Alex Delmar: 0:31

As a group, people People with ADHD don't live as long as their peers without . ADHD Anywhere anywhere from 6 to 12 years less. Imagine how much you'll miss out on over that amount of !. A shorter lifespan seems obvious when we consider health-related behaviors associated with ADHD. We are more likely to have sleep problems, we're more likely to have disordered eating, less likely to exercise, we act impulsively and are terrible at relaxing. Meanwhile, adequate sleep, good nutrition, plenty of movement and mindfulness make up the four cornerstones of ADHD symptom management. Think of it like a . house If one of the cornerstones fails, the whole building could fall down. They're all connected, connected and the good news is that the better you get in each of these areas, the more it strengthens your ability to improve in the rest of them. The other good news is that the better you do in these areas, the , you improve your general health. Goodbye longevity !,

Alex Delmar: 1:41

I'm sure you've adults Adults should be sleeping seven to nine hours a night. Among other serious health issues, sleep deprivation has negative effects on the brain, causing problems with memory, impulsivity, regulating emotion and attention, impulsive behavior, bad ... judgment Did Did these sound familiar? Come on, !, Even even if you don't care about your health, knowing that lack of sleep causes these behaviors in people without ADHD, anyone who is serious about managing their symptoms will prioritize getting enough sleep.

Alex Delmar: 2:19

eople far as nutrition, there are a whole bunch of aspects of ADHD that make it a struggle to eat well. We are more likely to suffer from diet-related health issues like diabetes and heart disease, but diet also affects how well our brains work. There are a lot of theories about the relationship between food and ADHD symptoms, but the one thing everyone seems to agree on is that your brain requires a myriad of vitamins, minerals and micronutrients to operate well, and you get them from the food you consume. For most people, that translates to a diet that includes a rainbow of vegetables and fruits, lean protein, whole grains and healthy fats. Remember, as a general rule, what's good for the heart is good for the brain, so limit refined sugars and sweeteners, fatty or fried foods and ultra-processed foods. Also, it turns out that hydration really is important, so that joke about reheating your tea 15 times or forgetting to fill your glass of water for the entire day is not really a joke. The takeaway here is that eating well improves your health and improves your brain function.

Alex Delmar: 3:39

Lack of movement is also a killer. Remember when sitting became the new smoking. Again, what's good for the heart is good for the brain. But other than running late for things, people with ADHD tend to have a hard time getting regular exercise. Getting some sort of movement in every day will not only improve your general health. There is a ton of evidence that aerobic exercise actually mitigates ADHD symptoms and is especially beneficial before any activity requiring an extended period of concentration. So it's a win-win! Exercise improves your general health and it improves your concentration.

Alex Delmar: 4:22

Mindfulness is the fourth cornerstone. Practicing mindfulness by slowing down, paying attention and fully engaging in whatever you're doing can decrease distractibility and impulsivity and improve emotional regulation and self-awareness. These are areas of struggle familiar to those of us with ADHD. It also has direct beneficial effects on your health by reducing stress and improving sleep quality. So now we've come full circle. I hope you can see how addressing these four cornerstones sleep, nutrition, movement and mindfulness mindfulness will not only improve your ADHD symptoms, but will also help you enjoy a longer life.

Alex Delmar: 5:10

I'm Alex Delmar. This has been Thoroughly ADHD. Your time is valuable, so I hope you found something useful here and that you'll join us again next time. Thank you.