ADHD Lifestyle. Sleep, Exercise, Nutrition, and the 3 R’s: Relax, Refresh, Rejuvenate Aug 22nd meeting notes

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Thanks to Benjamin for the great notes! The ADHD lifestyle can be quite chaotic and draining especially if you have trouble being self aware and saying no. We can easily go go go on stimulation overload until we crash from exaustion or risk burnout. A race car brain needs to take time for regular pit stops for fuel (exercise, diet) and maintenace (sleep, the 3R's) or the engine will weaken or shut down.

So while it's important for everyone to have a reasonably healthy lifestyle, it is even more important for an ADDer who is more likely to not have a healthy lifestyle when you think of some of the negative aspects of ADD that can make it harder to manage your diet, sleep, exercise and getting relaxed, refreshed, and rejuvenated.

For example, being easily distracted, forgetful, not very organized, troubles prioritizing, planning and completing tasks, inattentive, procrastinates often, easily overloaded and overwhelmed, prone to hyperfocus and impulsive etc. Negative lifestyle habits and decrease your level of functioning in many areas of your life, as well as reducing your level of happiness.

Don't try and change all factors at once. Realistic practicality leads to success. Delusion perfectionism leads to overload, overwhelm, frustration and failure. Maybe pick one area, i.e. diet, exercise or sleep etc and work one creating one habit in that area for a week, then picking another area the next week.

Here's a list of 73 Factors that interfere with a healthy ADHD Lifestyle, and 48 Factors that Support a healthy ADHD Lifestyle

Factors that interfere with an adequate diet	Factors that support an adequate diet

Travel Not packing healthy lunch/snacks Nature of job – lack of regular breaks Laziness Lack of cooking knowledge Lack of desire to learn Planning, prioritizing, sequencing Cooking for one Lengthy complex recipes Getting trapped in hyperfocus Forgetting to eat Eating as stimulant activity Lack of nutritional knowledge Pain in the ass cleaning up	Make large batches & freeze it Shop more frequently or less frequently, whatever works for you Group cooking experiment Have healthy meals delivered, can do weekly Have organic produce delivered Simple cook books One pot meals, crock pot Keep a list of favorite menu options, plan out your week (fish on Tuesdays), put in Palm/daytimer so readily available Arrange grocery list by aisle Apply your creativity to cooking & shopping Pre-pack leftovers into meals Make a list of lunch items you like Keep healthy options at work
Factors that interfere with getting adequate exercise	Factors that support getting adequate exercise

Travel Injuries Self-confidence Nature of job Laziness Lack of motivation Weather Kids General organization of day/time Planning, prioritizing, sequencing Adequate exercise storage at work (eg, bicycle storage, shower; or place to keep gym gear) Getting trapped in hyperfocus Forgetting People-pleasing / leaky boundaries Counting oneself last Resistance to structure/routine Black & white thinking Lack of concept of moderation; burn-out; unrealistic expectations Pain in the ass Lack of self-awareness Being a mouse-potato	Considering exercise as a self-care activity One day at a time, if that works for you Keeping the goal in mind and knowing what it looks like SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound Finding a form of exercise you enjoy Varying the types of exercise, avoid boredom Include exercise as a form of socializing Join a club or team Use it as a way to get to work, even part-way Hire a trainer Structure that is loose enough but not too loose Write down the consequences of not doing it versus the benefits of doing it

Factors that interfere with getting adequate sleep	Factors that support getting adequate sleep

Poor organization leads to late night worries Electronic addiction: net, games, TV, chat overstimulates brain, can't shut it down easily Partner Travel Injuries Physical problems, eg, sleep apnea Nature of job, shift-work Laziness Lack of motivation Weather Kids Forgetting to close door (pets wake you up) General organization of day/time Planning, prioritizing, sequencing Getting trapped in hyperfocus Forgetting People-pleasing / leaky boundaries Counting oneself last Resistance to structure/routine Black & white thinking Lack of concept of moderation; burn-out; unrealistic expectations Pain in the ass Lack of self-awareness Being a mouse or a coach potato	Turn of All electronic stimulation (net, computer, tv, games) at least one hour before bedtime Exercise Partner Sex Earplugs, eye mask Consciously planning for sleep Warm milk & banana Hot bath Meditate Clear mind of clutter: journal, notebook by bed, voice recorder Use the hour before bed to get organized for the next day The right alarm clock, eg, Zen alarm, positioned so you have to get out of bed to shut it off Creative alarm clocks Dim lights in the hour before going to bed check for physical problems with sleep, i.e., sleep apnea

Factors that interfere with the 3 R’s: Rest, Refresh, Rejuvenate	Factors that support the 3 R’s: Rest, Refresh, Rejuvenate

Stimulation addiction, constant search for stimulation Electronic addiction: net, games, TV, chat Understimulation Partner Travel Nature of job, shift-work Kids General organization of day/time Getting trapped in hyperfocus Forgetting People-pleasing / leaky boundaries Counting oneself last Perfectionism Lack of self-awareness	Scheduling a specific time, taking breaks Experiment with times, some may take 5 min, some 20 min Meditate: breathe, walking Go off the electronic grid Green time, more time in nature Have a list of relaxing activities to choose from Vary activities to avoid sense of over-structure Positive self-talk/self-awareness Developing body awareness Tai Chi Qigong Post-yoga or post-exercise time Regular massage

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