More women than ever are being diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood. Experts explain why movement can improve focus, regulate emotions and reduce mental overwhelm
Whilst ADHD diagnoses are growing amongst all age-groups, there has been a huge surge in mid-life women discovering they have the neurodevelopmental condition. In fact, there is a very clear global trend, according to a leading UK ADHD wellbeing coach.
As the founder of the ADHD website https://www.adhdwomenswellbeing.co.uk/ Kate Moryoussef, host of The ADHD Women’s Wellbeing Podcast has seen “more women seeking ADHD assessments and receiving diagnoses than ever before, particularly in their 30s, 40s and 50s.
“The ADHD Foundation reported a 400% increase in adults seeking ADHD assessments since 2020, with experts noting that much of this growth has been driven by women seeking diagnosis later in life,” she explained. “In the United States, approximately 15.5 million adults reported having an ADHD diagnosis in 2023, and 55.9% were first diagnosed in adulthood rather than childhood.”
So, before we go on to explain the benefits of exercise for those with ADHD, we need to understand a few reasons why there is such a rise in figures.
“Whilst most experts believe this is not an “ADHD epidemic,” there are several reasons for the growth including greater awareness of how ADHD presents in women (historically, ADHD research focused on hyperactive boys),” added Mrs Moryoussef. She also points to social media and public conversations about ADHD to have helped raise awareness.
Ask any ADHD expert and they will all agree that exercise – or movement of the body – most definitely helps those with the condition.
“ADHD coincides with having pent-up, restless, internalised anxiety, anger and emotions, and using movement is a good way to distil this energy,” added Mrs Moryoussef. “I see exercise as a leveller, a grounder, a way of getting you out of your busy head and anxious thoughts, and it allows you to do something mindful that helps release agitation, mood swings, restlessness, and much more.
It also helps with dopamine regulation, promotes endorphins and also calms the nervous system. We know it’s also very helpful for mental health, and with ADHD, the mental co-occurring conditions can include depression, suicide ideation, OCD, insomnia, disordered eating, addiction and anxiety.”
Enjoy rather than endure
As for what sport to do, it is important to find something you enjoy, rather than have to endure.
“The best forms of physical activity for ADHD brains fall into two categories: ramp up and slow down,” explained Billy Roberts, an ADHD therapist and owner of the Ohio-based adult ADHD therapy group https://focusedmindadhdcounseling.com/
“Research is clear that exercise is one of the most effective tools for managing adult ADHD. High output energy like running, jogging and swimming helps the ADHD nervous system regulate. On the other hand, meditation (i.e. guided mediation, yoga) also works to slow down the hyperactive mind. Even a few minutes a day has an effect!
“These tools are particularly helpful for woman with ADHD, who carry the added social pressures to be everything to everyone. Simply put, ADHD woman often have a bigger cognitive load to manage then men, and regulating the body to quiet the mind can make a big difference.”
For women having trouble focussing – a common ADHD trait – when it comes to exercise, being in a quieter environment, rather than a busy gym for example that can overstimulate the brain, can help.
ADHD coach Jessica Covington, who runs the https://www.fit-ology.com/ business where she specialises in helping women aged over 30 with the condition, is a firm believer in exercise helping with ADHD.
“I think the key to thriving with ADHD is in the body-mind connection, and over the past 10+ years of coaching, I’ve developed a four-point framework that allows us to harness that connection. The four parts are: Movement, Nutrition, Metacognition/Mindfulness, and Systems/Habits/Tools.
“It’s key to redefine “exercise” as all kinds of movement, since not everyone can (or will, or wants to) spend time in the gym.”
One method she teaches is a form of exercise called INTENSATI that blends full-body, contralateral aerobic movement with quieter, more skilled movement. “Aerobic work brings dopamine levels up to enhance motivation and focus, while more controlled movement helps us strengthen inhibitory control,” she explained
“I work with clients to find movement that works for them — all kinds of things from walking to climbing, swimming, gardening, dancing and more.”
Many of mental health counsellor Kat Grassetti’s clients report that exercise helps “remove the mental clutter” that builds up during the day.
The Clinical Director of the San-Diego Monima Wellness Center clinic adds: “Exercise provides focus; however, for many women with ADHD, movement is also a form of nervous system regulation. Rhythmic movement, which combines coordination and sustained movement (e.g., running, swimming, cycling, dancing, etc.), can assist in reducing cognitive overload while at the same time enhancing mental clarity.
“The approach to using exercise as a method for addressing ADHD is essential because there is no need for women to engage in structured, consistent fitness routines. As stated previously, traditional fitness recommendations place a high emphasis on discipline and consistency. However, the brain of someone with ADHD tends to be attracted to novel and varied approaches to exercising.
“Therefore, developing an exercise routine that stimulates the mind will likely result in an individual maintaining an active lifestyle. Some examples of this type of stimulation include participating in group fitness classes, dance-based workouts, hiking, rock climbing, and numerous other types of exercises that require physical movement along with mental involvement.”
