New collaboration builds sleep checks into ADHD care to cut missed diagnoses and support gaps
Sleep disorders may affect as many as one in three adults with ADHD, but standard assessments can easily miss them—especially when symptoms resemble treatment‑resistant ADHD.
Research suggests that up to 80 percent of adults with ADHD experience sleep challenges, with between 50–80 percent reporting ongoing difficulties.
These problems range from insomnia and delayed sleep patterns to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and they can shape how ADHD symptoms present, how people function day to day, and how well treatment works.
Studies indicate that 20 percent to 30 percent of adults with ADHD may also have obstructive sleep apnea, a condition marked by repeated pauses in breathing during sleep that can cause fragmented sleep, reduced oxygen levels, and daytime fatigue.
Symptoms such as poor concentration, memory issues, and emotional dysregulation overlap with ADHD, so without targeted screening, clinicians may miss sleep apnea and interpret persistent symptoms as ADHD that does not respond to treatment.
A new partnership between Springboard Clinic and Resolve Sleep Health focuses on clarifying this overlap by embedding sleep assessment more deeply into ADHD care.
The collaboration centres on understanding how sleep may affect attention, mood, and daily functioning, and on using that information to guide treatment choices.
Chris Richards-Bentley, director of Medical Education & Adult Services at Springboard Clinic, said “sleep can change how ADHD shows up and how well treatment works.”
If clinicians don’t understand what happens during sleep, he warned, they “risk missing an important part of the picture.”
He said that seeing “a patient’s sleep architecture” gives them a better basis for decisions and helps ensure people receive “the right support.”
Sleep disorders such as insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea can overlap with or amplify ADHD symptoms, including inattention, difficulty with memory, and challenges with emotional regulation.
Without clarity on what is driving these issues, treatment plans may not address the underlying contributors.
The partnership aims to strengthen how sleep is assessed within the care journey by bringing together physiological, behavioural, and environmental factors.
Depending on individual needs, support may include medical evaluation, evidence-based screening for sleep disorders, behavioural strategies, sleep hygiene support, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), and access to diagnostic testing and treatment for obstructive sleep apnea.
Through this collaboration, Springboard Clinic and Resolve Sleep Health plan to increase awareness among patients and clinicians about the link between ADHD and sleep disorders, including sleep apnea; encourage evidence-based screening for sleep disorders as part of ADHD assessment and management; and improve access to diagnostic testing and treatment for obstructive sleep apnea across Canada.
Canadian clinical guidance increasingly supports screening for sleep disorders as part of a comprehensive ADHD evaluation.
It also emphasises that ADHD treatment does not need to be delayed while sleep concerns are being assessed; both can proceed in parallel so that individuals receive more complete care.
Resolve Sleep Health provides sleep health services for Canadians nationwide, including at-home sleep apnea diagnosis, with a focus on helping individuals better understand what is affecting their sleep and how to address it.
Heather Shantora, president and CEO of Resolve Sleep Health, said “sleep is foundational to how we think, feel, and function.”
She said that when providers understand more about what happens during sleep, they can help Canadians “sleep better,” improve overall health and offer “more effective, personalized care.”
