Is ADHD fatigue why you feel exhausted? 

Fatigue and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) seem like exact opposites. One causes you to be tired. The other makes you ceaselessly active. Yet these 2 conditions have a lot in common. ADHD can push your mind and body to the point of burnout. The consequence is ADHD fatigue.

In this article, we explore the connection between ADHD and fatigue. We shed light on how ADHD contributes to both physical and mental fatigue. We also offer practical tips and strategies to effectively manage ADHD fatigue.

Find an ADHD provider for an online or in-person appointment to evaluate your symptoms and create a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs in as little as 24 hours.

What is ADHD fatigue?

Put simply ADHD fatigue is mental, emotional, or physical fatigue caused by trying to manage the symptoms of ADHD. And while tiredness isn’t part of the official criteria or a symptom of ADHD, the prevalence of ADHD patients that suffer from fatigue is impossible to ignore.

How and why ADHD causes fatigue

Several things connect ADHD and fatigue. For starters, ADHD affects motivation and attention. People with the disorder struggle to focus and concentrate. Daily tasks take more mental energy to start and complete. Maintaining focus for the duration of a task becomes a mental struggle that can zap your motivation and energy, leaving you exhausted.

Another hallmark of ADHD, hyperactivity, can also cause fatigue. If you find yourself unable to sit still due to ADHD symptoms, it’s likely you’re missing out on needed rest. Over time, this leads to ADHD fatigue.

Other factors that connect ADHD and fatigue include dopamine levels, trouble sleeping, and burnout.

Dopamine levels

Dopamine is 1 of the neurotransmitters or chemical messengers produced by the brain. Dopamine lets us regulate emotional responses and take action to achieve specific rewards. It’s responsible for feelings of pleasure and reward. 

ADHD can affect dopamine levels, making it difficult to regulate emotions and feel rewarded.

Trouble sleeping

ADHD sleep problems may be a side effect of impaired arousal, alertness, and regulation circuits in the brain. When your brain won’t shut down before bed, it’s hard to get a full night’s rest, and active thoughts can also make falling back asleep in the middle of the night difficult as well. 

The net results of not enough sleep is fatigue.

Burnout

Burnout is experiencing physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion. It also involves negative or anxious thoughts. Too much ADHD-induced hyperfocus and overperforming, coupled with subsequent trouble sleeping, can lead to ADHD burnout. Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of ADHD burnout. 

ADHD fatigue vs chronic fatigue vs chronic fatigue syndrome

Fatigue is one of the least talked about side effects of ADHD, and one of the most overlooked.

• Chronic fatigue is extreme tiredness — physical, mental, or both — that lasts for 6 or more months.
• ADHD fatigue is chronic fatigue characterized by extreme fatigue. It lasts for at least 6 months and can’t be explained by an underlying medical condition. 

Chronic and ADHD fatigue aren’t the same as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), which is a serious long-term illness also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis.

ADHD fatigue vs brain fog and ADHD burnout

If you have ADHD and fatigue, you may wonder if it’s ADHD-related or something else. If it’s ADHD-related, you could simply be experiencing fatigue as a symptom of ADHD, or it could be burnout. If not, you may be experiencing brain fog. 

Several health conditions, including autoimmune diseases, hormonal changes, and chronic fatigue syndrome, can cause brain fog — a term used to describe cognitive difficulties. People who have brain fog report difficulty concentrating, feeling “fuzzy” or confused, having trouble thinking and speaking clearly, fatigue, and dissociation (feeling disconnected from yourself). 

If you’re struggling with fatigue, talk to your healthcare provider about your symptoms. They can help you determine if it’s ADHD-related. If not, they’ll run tests to figure out the exact cause. 

Tips for dealing with ADHD fatigue

If you’re struggling with ADHD fatigue, here are some tips for dealing with it.

• Eat a healthy diet and stay hydrated: A balanced, nutritious diet can go a long way in boosting your energy levels and helping you feel more alert. So can drinking enough fluids. 
• Get enough sleep: If you have ADHD, you may have trouble sleeping. But, practicing good sleep habits and maintaining a healthy sleep schedule can help you get enough sleep and reduce symptoms of fatigue.
• Exercise regularly: Research shows that 30 minutes a day of moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking, improves symptoms of both fatigue and ADHD.
• Practice self-care and stress management: Managing stress through techniques like mindfulness or breathing exercises is self-care. That and other self-care practices (like pursuing hobbies and doing things that bring you joy) can help you relax so you can rest and improve your fatigue symptoms.
• Seek support: If ADHD fatigue affects your daily life, it’s time to get professional support. A qualified mental health provider can evaluate your symptoms and create an effective ADHD treatment plan for you. Ou can find an ADHD provider on Klarity Health.

Key takeaways

• If you have ADHD, daily tasks take more effort to start and complete due to symptoms like inattention and hyperactivity. ADHD fatigue is mental, emotional, or physical fatigue caused by trying to manage these and other ADHD symptoms. 
• ADHD fatigue is different from chronic fatigue and brain fog. Chronic fatigue and brain fog are both signs of another underlying health condition and aren’t necessarily ADHD-related.
• Dealing with ADHD fatigue requires taking good care of yourself. Eating a healthy diet, getting enough exercise and sleep, and practicing self-care are all ways to combat ADHD fatigue. If all else fails, seek support from a healthcare provider.  

Find an ADHD healthcare provider on Klarity Health today

Schedule an ADHD evaluation today with a licensed medical professional who can diagnose and treat your ADHD, its symptoms, and side effects. Your provider will help identify the source of your fatigue and help you on your way toward living a more productive — less exhausting — life. Find a provider on Klarity Health today and have an appointment in as little as 24 hours. 

Sources

British Journal of Clinical Psychology, Fatigue in an adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder population: A trans-diagnostic approach, Denise C. Rogers, Antonia J Dittner, Katharine A. Rimes, Trudie Chalder, Dec. 2016, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27918087/

CHADD, The Exercise Prescription, Michael Lara, MD, Jun. 2012, https://chadd.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ATTN_06_12_Exercise.pdf

Emory University Magazine, Lost in a Brain Fog, Mary Loftus, 2023, https://news.emory.edu/features/2023/07/emag-brain-fog-13-07-23/index.html

Frontiers in Physiology, Caught in the thickness of brain fog: exploring the cognitive symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Anthony J. Ocon, Apr. 2013, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3617392/

Frontiers in Psychiatry, Effectiveness of Physical Activity Intervention on ADHD Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Yongtao Xie et al., Oct. 2021, https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.706625/full

Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, What is Brain Fog, Laura McWhirter et al., Dec. 2022, https://jnnp.bmj.com/content/94/4/321.info

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Reduce Screen Time, updated Feb. 2013, https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/reduce-screen-time/index.htm

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Symptoms of ADHD, https://www.cdc.gov/adhd/signs-symptoms/index.html

Vail Health, How exercise can help combat fatigue, Sally Welsh, Nov. 2023, https://www.vailhealth.org/news/how-exercise-can-help-combat-fatigue

The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional with any questions or concerns you have regarding your health. Providers on Klarity Health are independent practitioners with full medical authority. No diagnosis result or treatment option is guaranteed for the services rendered through the Klarity Health platform.

If you’re having a mental health crisis or experiencing a psychiatric emergency, it’s crucial to seek immediate help from a mental healthcare professional, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, or therapist. You can also call your local emergency services, visit your nearest emergency room, or contact a crisis hotline, such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, by calling or texting 988 or dialing the Lifeline’s previous phone number, 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) in the U.S.

How we reviewed this article: This article goes through rigorous fact-checking by a team of medical reviewers. Reviewers are trained medical professionals who ensure each article contains the most up-to-date information, and that medical details have been correctly interpreted by the author.