Ritalin and Insomnia: What Users Say

• Luc...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 16, 2015

For ADHD "I have been taking Ritalin for almost 3 years, and it has been great. I had ADHD in high school and college. I couldn't focus, listen to lectures, read well, or study. I saw a doctor during college, and he prescribed me Ritalin 20 mg 3 times a day (I had long days in college). I was finally able to read well, study, and focus. I love learning now, I'm motivated, and my mood improved. Now I take 20 mg 2 times a day (I graduated and go to bed earlier). It lasts around 4 hours. I never experience withdrawal or major sleepiness when I don't take it. Side effects: difficulty sleeping if taken too close to bedtime and appetite loss (minor). I highly suggest an eating schedule and drinking lots of water so you don't eat too little. I would often forget to eat in the beginning."

• Anonymous
• October 23, 2009

For ADHD "I'm a 40-year-old male who didn't have the benefits of medications when I was in school. ADD wasn't as well known back then. I was diagnosed with hyperlexia. I always thought that it was strange because I didn't see letters backwards, but I just accepted it. I was officially diagnosed with ADD in my mid-20s. I have taken most of the medicine options over the past 12 years, including Concerta, Strattera, Adderall, Ritalin, and Ritalin LA. Couldn't sleep on Concerta, I was out of my mind with Strattera, Adderall was like popping caffeine pills, and Ritalin was too high maintenance as it neutralized after 2-3 hours. Then I found Ritalin LA. It's not the magic bullet, but it's the best that I have found so far. It costs me 10X generic but worth it."

• Anonymous
• February 15, 2010

For ADHD "My 8-year-old daughter is on Ritalin at the moment. We find she is getting migraine headaches, she has lost 3 kg due to lack of appetite, and she is very emotional coming off it, and she doesn't sleep much. On the other side of things, she has shown a large improvement at school with her concentration going from the bottom of the class to the top of the class in just 3 months."

• Mik...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 11, 2018

For ADHD "I think it's a very good medication, and it can help a lot! I have been taking this drug since I was 14-15 years old, and at the beginning it worked well, but then, because I took a high dosage of Ritalin (around 60-80 mg daily), I experienced a few side effects (just like increased heart rate, weight loss, and insomnia). So I stopped taking this drug, and after that, I took Strattera (atomoxetine) for a year, but that was terrible. I had insomnia so bad I couldn't sleep for 36-60 hours, maybe twice a week, and besides that, I usually slept 3-4 hours. I also had increased heart rate (maybe 100-130 in the morning), increased blood pressure (100/190), headache, and stomach problems. So I stopped taking this medication too. Now I am 18 years old and started to take Ritalin, but not every day-only when I have to learn a lot, and just 10 mg twice a day. I think it works very well and has no side effects. So I think it's a very good and useful medication, just the 'normal' dosage is very important!"

• ali...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 19, 2017

For ADHD "I started taking Ritalin recently, and it has already dramatically changed my life. I was diagnosed with nervous depression last year and prescribed Zoloft, which significantly drew me out of my depression. But Ritalin made me understand what it is like to be highly functioning. I cried after the first day I took it out of pure elation. I was able to stay awake at school the whole day (a huge personal rarity for me), and I stayed on topic and could hold conversations way easier after the first week. I stopped being so scatterbrained. My only complaint would be slight nausea and insomnia. I just wish it helped with my hyperspaces, as I am still jittery, but I am on a low dose."

• Pet...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 23, 2018

For ADHD "I'm 41 years old and just started Ritalin extended release three weeks ago. I have sleep apnea and have a lifelong history of daytime fatigue that wasn't being helped by the CPAP. After talking to my doctor about that and other symptoms, I began treatment for ADHD. The first week, I had some insomnia but noticed immediately that I was more awake during the day and getting a lot more done. I still felt tired at times, but nothing like before, where I was literally ready to collapse by mid-afternoon. It also suppressed my appetite a bit, which I need. I'm only taking 18 mg in the morning. Week 3, I don't feel it's working quite as well, and insomnia has subsided. Pretty sure we need to tweak the dosage."

• Har...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 26, 2022

For ADHD "The 5 mg tablets are okay. The first month on it, it wasn’t bad at all, very productive, a few side effects like hunger and sadness. I would say a 6/10 for the 5 mg tablets. The XR/LA was absolutely the worst experience, though. Headaches, stomach aches, constantly frantic feeling, gassy, bathroom trips every time I ate, bloating, anxiety, extremely irritated, I always felt on the verge of a mental breakdown, poor digestion, poor sleep. I would sleep for 10 hours on XR and wake up feeling like I never slept. This should be used to torture people. I have a month supply, and I will be throwing away the medication, I actually can’t take these. I normally run 3x a week and work out 5x a week for my job. I have barely done any physical activity on XR. My life has gone very downhill, very fast. They really aren't addictive, at least the XR isn’t."

• Sar...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 17, 2016

For ADHD "I was first given Ritalin at 6 years old. Ritalin made it hard for me to sleep. Being on Ritalin made me feel nauseous. Ritalin caused tremors in my arms. Being forced to take Ritalin made me self-conscious. Ritalin increased my anxiety. My anxiety turned into panic attacks, so I was prescribed antidepressants like Zoloft, Wellbutrin, and Effexor. I was also prescribed Lamictal, an anti-convulsant. For me, Ritalin was the 'gateway drug.'"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 3, 2022

For ADHD "My parents put me on Ritalin (long acting) when I was in 5th grade, and it does work, but not without some serious drawbacks. I was able to get all my schoolwork done in class and my memory was excellent, but my appetite was gone. I couldn’t eat lunch without feeling sick, so I had to stop doing so, and as a result, my height is severely stunted even as an adult (about a foot shorter than my 3 other brothers). Additionally, it really did a number on my sleep schedule and caused me some level of insomnia. The worst side effect, though, is that while on it, I would feel “suppressed,” and I very much did not enjoy this sensation. Ultimately, I decided to stop taking it, but if you don’t experience these side effects, I think it’d probably work pretty well."

• Kiw...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 24, 2022

For ADHD "Been on both short-acting and extended-release 20 mg. Both did their job well. I have inattentive, and this medication cleared my cluttered mind, helped me focus, helped me complete tasks. Short-acting came with undesirable side effects, though, when it wore off, like lethargy, insomnia, and a headache. This medication is very difficult to get in New Zealand, as it’s a controlled medication, however, if you truly have ADHD, there’s a high chance stimulants will work really well."