The Pain of Being Misdiagnosed: My ADHD Journey as a Woman
Why I'm Sharing This For years, I felt like something was wrong with me. Like I was broken, overly sensitive, or just not trying hard enough. It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with ADHD in...
How I Wind Down: My Evening Routine as a Chronically Tired Woman with ADHD
Many articles will tell you to “wind down” before bed by avoiding screens, doing yoga, or taking a bath.
That’s great advice… for some people.
But for me, as a woman with ADHD and long-term chronic fatigue — my reality looks different. By the time evening arrives, I’m done. My brain and body are ready to stop, and I’ve learned to work with that instead of fighting it.
I’ve lived with chronic fatigue for years, the kind that isn’t just “tired,” but bone-deep exhaustion by the evening. Since building a balanced routine and supplementing my brain, it has made a life-changing difference to how I feel.
These days, I get more done, feel more present, and have a lot more “good hours” in my day. But when evening comes, I still choose to wind down early, and now it’s not about crashing in survival mode. It’s an intentional, restorative choice that makes my mornings brighter and my mood more stable.
Morning Energy Shapes My Evenings
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that my evening routine starts in the morning.
Taking Noops Day in the morning gives me focus and steady energy so I’m not running on fumes by mid-afternoon. That means by the time evening rolls around, I’m ready to slow down instead of feeling frazzled.
Pairing that with Noops Night has been transformative. It’s not just the supplements — it’s building them into a consistent morning and evening rhythm. That rhythm tells my brain: “We’re taking care of you.”
My ADHD-Friendly Night-Time Routine
1. Support My Brain Before I Crash
I take Noops Night about an hour before bed (usually around 7pm). It’s my signal that the day is done.
Noops Night isn’t a sedative. It helps my brain let go of the day so I can naturally slow down. Its 150mg of L-Theanine supports relaxation, and over time it’s helped me feel calmer and less overstimulated in the evenings.
2. Wind Down with Familiar Comfort
For my ADHD brain, complete silence can be overwhelming, it sends my brain into thought overload. Instead, I use light, familiar TV shows as a “soft focus” — something predictable to settle my thoughts.
My go-to’s:
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Sex and the City
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Emily in Paris
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Greys Anatomy
I avoid anything heavy, violent, or overstimulating. This isn’t mindless doom-scrolling or binging until 1am — it’s intentional background calm and I am usually fast asleep before an episode is finished.
3. Get Into Bed Early (and Honour That)
I’m often in bed by 8pm. For years, I felt guilty about this. Now I see it as one of the smartest things I do for my brain.
If you live with fatigue, burnout, or sensory overwhelm, early nights aren’t laziness — they’re recovery.
4. Keep It Soft, Not Perfect
Some nights I stretch. Some nights I journal. Some nights I just watch TV until I drift off. There’s no pressure for it to look “Instagram perfect.”
My goal is simply to signal safety and rest to my nervous system.
What If Your Brain Gets More Active at Night?
Not everyone’s evening brain is like mine. If yours tends to wake up at night, here are a few ADHD-friendly wind-down tips:
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One-task focus: Pick one calming, repetitive task (folding laundry, drawing, puzzles).
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Brain dump: Write down all your racing thoughts so you can let them go.
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Buffer hour: No work, no big decisions — just calm activities.
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Gentle stimulation: Audiobooks, weighted blankets, fidget tools.
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Noops Night early: Start your wind-down process before the energy spike hits.
Why Sleep is Essential for Brain Health
When you sleep, your brain is doing far more than “resting”:
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🧠 Memory processing: Organises and stores the day’s information.
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💆♀️ Emotional regulation: Helps you respond more steadily to stress.
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⚖️ Nervous system reset: Reduces cortisol and restores balance.
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🔄 Cellular repair: Repairs tissues and clears toxins.
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🎯 Focus & productivity: Supports attention, decision-making, and creativity.
Poor sleep = a tired brain, anxious mood, and scattered focus.
Good sleep = the foundation for clarity, calm, and resilience.
Final Thoughts: Build a Routine That Supports You
If you’ve ever felt guilty for your bedtime habits, remember: there’s no one “right” way to wind down.
For me, it’s:
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Noops Day for steady energy
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Noops Night for mental calm
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Low lights, early bedtime, a familiar TV show
For you, it might look totally different. The key is building consistent daily habits that work with your brain — not against it.
Your evening routine is not about perfection — it’s about protection.
Protect your rest, protect your brain, and you’ll protect your energy for the life you want to live.
Why not read - How I Rebuilt My Mental Health: My Morning Routine, Protein Shake & Noops Nootropic
Why It’s So Hard to Switch Off at Night (and How to Help Your Brain Unwind Naturally)
- Tags: ADHD in Women Nic’s Story
