The never-ending breakfast grind: mornings are hard with ADHD
Werk werk werk werk werk
Ever feel like breakfast is a boss battle you can’t win? For many of us, the first meal of the day is a never-ending grind of conflicting signals and mental hurdles. It's a messy mix of decision paralysis, medication-induced nausea, and the cruel reality of time blindness. You're not alone, and it’s not your fault. Let's unpack the chaos of the ADHD breakfast grind.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realised that even if I’m not particularly hungry when I get up, I still gotta eat if I want to be functional. Changing my morning routine was a gradual process. At first, I would get completely ready for work and then if I had time, I would eat breakfast. Eventually I got to a point where I started having enough time to read a bit (massive bookworm) over breakfast. Then I got a coffee machine at home and now I get up 30min earlier to have a coffee and breakfast in my PJs and read for a bit until I get up. There’s no rush; it’s a routine in my life that's successful, and one that I rely on. I think the coffee machine was the key really. Can’t see it having happened without that sweetener.
Not a 'morning person'
The Medication Rollercoaster
For many of us, the first challenge is our medication. There’s no prettier term for it than a "medication rollercoaster," because lots of medications, including some ADHD medications, can have a side effect of nausea. For me, that seems to hit first thing. Ironically, it usually settles after I get a bit of food in.
The Executive Dysfunction Barrier
The biggest roadblock to a consistent breakfast routine isn't a lack of food; it's the sheer number of steps involved. If there’s ever a time that decision making and follow-through are hard, it's the morning. Nothing like opening the fridge hoping for a magical breakfast solution only to realise you forgot to replace the milk or that yoghurt that was a good idea when you did the shopping has gone off unopened because you forgot it existed.
The Time Blindness Trap
Man, what even is time. ADHD time blindness is real, and how I missed this as a symptom all my life is a mystery to me. I have it in spades. I can’t tell you how often I need to leave the house at a particular time, only for my brain to decide the time I need to be out the door is the perfect time to start getting ready. Sitting on the loo with a phone… you know how it goes. Time just melts away and when you’re rushing breakfast drops off the radar.
The Caffeine Conundrum
Ok so ADHD brains have an interesting relationship with caffeine. I suggest looking up the science rather than taking advice from me on this one, but for me, pre-medication, I swore this was the only thing that got me started in the morning. I asked my psychiatrist about whether when I drink a coffee it impacts the medication efficacy and his response was, 'I don’t love the idea of you stacking stimulants on top of caffeine' so there’s that.
The Sleep Apnoea Link
ADHD and quality sleep are not good friends. There are all sorts of reasons why an ADHD brain will struggle with sleep, from revenge bedtime procrastination all the way through to sleep apnoea. Again, look up the science on that one instead of getting advice from a blog, but there’s a correlation between the two. If this resonates with you I highly encourage asking your GP about it. My sleep apnoea diagnosis changed my life (and my mornings).
Simple Breakfasts That Work For Me
The goal isn't to create a perfect morning routine, but to find a "good enough" strategy that works for you. Here are some of the breakfasts that have worked for me when I’m on the never-ending breakfast grind:
Chia pudding: A fair warning, this is going to get things moving. Every other food blog has a recipe, I like to add mango to mine when it's in season. One mango splits nicely between three serves if you make it in advance.
Toast: I love her. She’s versatile, and I don't need to tell you about it. Avo, vegemite, peanut butter—I could go on about the joys of toast.
Porridge: My current winter go-to because I use quick oats and my coffee machine is right next to the stove so I can stir with one hand while I make coffee.
Beans on toast: Whoops more about toast. Sometimes I add cheese or avo or spinach if I’m feeling fancy or have actually done a proper shop.
Breakfast wraps: Always wanted to be the person who makes these but I don't. This is a café special on the fly.
Cornflakes with sliced banana: Really fixated on this for a while until I got sick of bananas.
Fruit free granola + yoghurt + blueberries: This felt like a real treat. Saved for when blueberries get below $5 a punnet.
Leftover cold pizza: Never not good.
