From the Guidelines
Lifestyle adjustments, including consistent daily routines, physical exercise, and nutrition, are crucial in managing ADHD symptoms alongside medical treatment. Establishing regular sleep schedules (aiming for 7-9 hours nightly), structured meal times, and designated work periods is essential [ 1 ]. Physical exercise for at least 30 minutes daily releases dopamine and norepinephrine, which improves focus and reduces hyperactivity. Nutrition plays a key role—focusing on protein-rich foods, complex carbohydrates, omega-3 fatty acids, and limiting sugar and artificial additives.
Key Lifestyle Adjustments
- Establishing consistent daily routines
- Physical exercise for at least 30 minutes daily
- Nutrition focusing on protein-rich foods, complex carbohydrates, and omega-3 fatty acids
- Organization strategies like using planners and breaking tasks into smaller steps
- Mindfulness practices and meditation to strengthen attention and emotional regulation
- Time management techniques such as the Pomodoro method
- Environmental modifications like reducing clutter and creating distraction-free workspaces
Organization strategies like using planners, breaking tasks into smaller steps, and creating designated spaces for important items help manage executive function challenges [ 1 ]. Although some studies suggest that mindfulness and cognitive training may have little or no benefit [ 1 ], prioritizing sleep and nutrition is particularly important [ 1 ].
Considerations for Athletes with ADHD
- Team physicians should be aware of and educate athletes on regulations and requirements regarding medication treatment of ADHD [ 1 ]
- The risk of heat illness may be increased in athletes taking ADHD medications [ 1 ]
Overall, these lifestyle adjustments provide external structure to compensate for executive function difficulties and support optimal brain chemistry for attention and impulse control.
From the Research
Lifestyle Adjustments for ADHD
Lifestyle adjustments can play a crucial role in managing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The following adjustments are recommended based on existing research:
- Regular physical activity: A study published in 2020 2 found that a nurse-led lifestyle intervention that included physical activity resulted in positive changes in weekly physical activity, quality of life, and general and mental health for adults with ADHD.
- Healthy lifestyle habits: The same study 2 emphasized the importance of lifestyle habit support for individuals with ADHD.
- Self-care strategies: A systematic review published in 2023 3 identified self-care strategies such as establishing ways of acting to help oneself, finding encouraging and helping relationships, and using external aids for managing daily life as useful for adults with ADHD.
- Omega-3/6 fatty acid supplementation: Research suggests that omega-3/6 fatty acid supplementation may be beneficial for individuals with ADHD. A study published in 2017 4 found that omega-3/6 fatty acid supplementation had similar effects to methylphenidate in reducing ADHD symptoms. Another study published in 2017 5 found that supplementation with a 9:3:1 ratio of eicosapentaenoic acid:docosahexaenoic acid:gamma linolenic acid improved erythrocyte levels and showed promise as an adjunctive therapy to traditional medications.
- Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplementation: A systematic review published in 2023 6 found that PUFA supplementation may improve ADHD symptoms in the medium term, although the evidence was low-certainty. However, there was high-certainty evidence that PUFA had no effect on parent-rated total ADHD symptoms compared to placebo in the medium term.
Key Findings
The key findings from the existing research are:
- Lifestyle interventions that include physical activity and healthy lifestyle habits can result in positive changes for individuals with ADHD 2.
- Self-care strategies can be useful for managing daily life with ADHD 3.
- Omega-3/6 fatty acid supplementation may be beneficial for reducing ADHD symptoms 4, 5.
- PUFA supplementation may improve ADHD symptoms in the medium term, although the evidence is low-certainty 6.