3 healthy ways to manage your ADHD without medication

Managing your ADHD without medication is hard, but doable!

As someone with ADHD, I get why someone would want to go off medication. It's hard to remember to take your medication, the side effects of the medication may make you feel not like yourself, and it can be hard to get medications as you get older.

Those who manage their ADHD without medication do things like getting adequate sleep, exercise, and using grounding activities like meditation. But as with anything medically related, please talk to your doctor before doing anything drastic.

Sleeping for those with ADHD can be hard — it's hard to quiet our racing brains!

It's even harder without medication to help regulate you.

Getting enough sleep helps your brain stay balanced by keeping your emotions in check and making it easier to remember things.

It often feels our brains are going a mile a minute, doesn't it? To help you sleep, ADDtude (a magazine for people with ADD/ADHD) recommends the following:

• Limit screen time before bed

• Avoid caffeine and alcohol in the evening

• Take melatonin (with medical guidance)

• Establish a consistent bedtime routine

• Use calming activities like warm showers or white noise

• Drink warm milk or chamomile tea

• Avoid large meals close to bedtime

• Try light exercise or stretching before bed

• Address sleep disorders like restless leg syndrome or sleep apnea

• Avoid stimulating medications near bedtime

Regular exercise can help manage ADHD symptoms like mood, sleep, and focus much like medication can.

Here are some example exercises you can do:

• Aerobic exercises (e.g., running, brisk walking, biking, swimming laps)

• Martial arts (e.g., karate, taekwondo, jiu-jitsu)

• Team sports (e.g., basketball, soccer)

Exercise can help regulate your body in ways like:

• vagal nerve stimulation, which basically helps you better impulse control and emotional regulation

• neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine , help you feel good after exercise and helps you improve focus and mood

• brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a fancy of way of saying your brain gets more flexible, making it easier to learn and improve memory

• neuroplasticity, which helps improve planning, memory, and impulsivity

• blood flow to the brain, which gives your brain a boost of energy to focus better

It's a good idea to do 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise over a week. You can break this down into whatever works for you. For example, I like to walk my dog and use that as a way to stay active.

Meditation has always been hard for me, but the days I remember to do it have been awesome! It's helped me be focused and quiet my mind.

Meditation helps you improve your focus, self-control, and memory. Here are nine steps you can take to start meditating today:

1. Set aside specific time for you to meditate.

2. Settle into a position that feels comfortable.

3. Choose clothing that allows you to fully relax and unwind.

4. Silence or put away your devices to lessen distractions.

5. Let background noise filter out of your mind.

6. Focus on your breath.

7. Take special care to loosen your muscles and release physical tension.

8. Gently return your focus when thoughts drift.

9. Transition out of the meditation session gradually.

Remember: if you take medication for ADHD, please talk to your doctor beforehand!

When creating routines to manage your ADHD without medication, remember to include regular exercise, have a good sleep schedule, and meditate when needed.

To help manage your ADHD without medication:

You can also check out these Bytes for more ADHD management tips:

• 4 ways to manage adult ADHD

• How do I use an ADHD planner to manage my day?