Does lack of sleep cancel out Adderall effects? - ADD / ADHD Message Board

MinnesotaNole · 08-15-2007, 05:39 PM

I have been working extra overtime lately and getting aprox. 6 hours of sleep per night. My body normally requires 8 hours of sleep per night or I'm a wreck the next day.

Anyhow, the Adderall doesn't seem to be nearly as effective when I lack sleep.

Is this normal?

Also, I normally drink a fair amount of Diet Coke. I feel much better taking the Adderall when drinking a lot of water and staying well hydrated versus combining the meds with a ton of soft drinks.

Do diet soft drinks interact with Adderall?

Any comments are appreciated!

rheanna · 08-17-2007, 12:23 AM

MinnesotaNole,

I am taking generic Ritalin rather than Adderal. But I definitely notice that the drug seems to be more effective when I've had a good night's sleep.

--Rheanna

darkershades · 08-18-2007, 04:37 AM

Ritalin and Adderall have about the same effects, and I've taken both. Adderall is a little more intense, but when I say "Adderall" you mind as well substitute "Ritalin", because I've used both for a long, but separately of course.

To answer the sleep question:

If you do not get enough sleep Adderall/Ritalin's effectiveness is fine, except for the length of effectiveness. Let's say you get 8 hours, which is healthy and you wake up and take an Adderall (yay!) and its effects last about 4-5 hours. The next night you get only 5 hours of sleep and wake up absolutely exhausted... If you didn't take an Adderall right now you'd just go back to bed... well take your normal dose of Adderall because it'll get you through about 2-3 hours before you hit the dirt, and sleep for a long time. Or just get some sleep!

If you haven't slept in a long time at all, let's say you've been up just short of or later than 24 hours, and you take an Adderall/Ritalin you will probably hallucinate and freak out, due to Psychosis (don't try it, it's scary).

As for your question on whether food affects Adderall or not: Yes it does!

If you do not eat... Adderall kicks in faster, and then makes you feel nauseous!

If you love fruit with citric acid in it, say goodbye to the effects of Adderall by about 30-40 percent (only my experience). But it is a fact that foods with Citric Acid affect Adderall and does not allow it to flow into the bloodstream.

Do not drink Soda with Adderall if it has Caffeine in it... Caffeine with Adderall will cause extreme Anxiety and Insomnia. Also soda dries your mouth out, and since Adderall and Ritalin both do, that makes for a gross mouth.

One more thing (not saying you do or have): DON'T SNORT THESE PILLS OR ANYTHING FOR THAT MATTER.

I hope that helps

desperate1 · 08-18-2007, 12:43 PM

I can vouch for the caffeine thing! I drank a Diet Pepsi Max without thinking a few weeks ago. It has ginseng and extra caffeine, and it made my jaw really tight and stiff. It was definitely not cool.

I take Adderall and I'm very new to it, but in the 6 weeks I've been on it, I have had insomnia once (which is normal for me. I get insomnia during PMS for some reason). Anyway, the next day I felt my adderall was not doing it's thing, so it makes sense (to me anyway) that lack of sleep affects it.