Best gifts of 2021 for ADHD brains
ADHD brains deserve a little extra love during the holiday season. And these gifts are each specially designed to do just that. Not only do they make life just a little bit easier but they each work to solve a unique dilemma of the ADHD brain. Check them out and bring just a little more joy and ease to your favorite ADHD brain in your life.
Trying to stay present during an hour-long zoom call? Need to actually absorb some of the information at a virtual presentation? Want to just be able to sit through an entire movie with your partner? This beautiful and endlessly satisfying fidget may just be the key. The stunning artist-generated designs transform and shift into 70 different shapes. Let part of your mind focus on moving through each shape while the rest of your brain focuses on what it needs to.
ADHD brains are, at their base, dopamine hungry. And what helps our brain create that dopamine? The vitamin D that sunlight produces in our brains. This means that as the nights grow longer and the sun less intense throughout the winter, our brains get even hungrier. But this clever little box is designed to emit just the right amount of light to help turn off your brain's sleepy chemical (melatonin) and turn on the goodness of Vitamin D, dopamine, and serotonin. The Northern light box light is my favorite because it offers the full 10,000 Lux at 14 inches, unlike many others that have you sitting uncomfortably close. However, the Happy Light from Verilux offers a wonderful alternative at a lower price point.
There is only so much one brain can hold onto at a time- keys, wallet, appointments, grocery lists- it all starts to crowd your brain, pushing one thing or the next out. AirTags come to the rescue, keeping track of all the things your brain can't, with these handy little Bluetooth tags. And becuase AirTags uses the power of the Apple network, even if you leave your keys far from you and your phone, the network's Bluetooth system can still alert you where they are.
I call the default mode network "shower brain" for a reason. Because there is no better time for our brain to wander over its own mental playground than when we’re in the shower. But that shower brain isn't just good for ruminating- sometimes the most ingenious problem-solving comes when we're not trying to solve the problem. Don't miss out on those brilliant insights or essential details just because you don't have your phone handy! This clever waterproof notepad hangs in your shower, ready to take down your brilliance, and then is easily torn off and brought with you when you can actually use it.
This futuristic-looking headband holds the power of Neurofeedback in its sleek little power pack. And while evidence is still somewhat mixed on the efficacy of Neurofeedback for ADHD in general, what I love about this handy device is how it gamifies meditation- making it more fun, compelling, and easy to maintain for an ADHD brain. If you struggle with the open-endedness of meditation or find it boring or pointless, this device may be precisely what you need to harness its focus and mood-boosting power. By giving you real-time feedback in the form of nature-based auditory cues while you meditate, this handy little device can not only keep you on track but will give you all the charts and data your evidence and results-driven mind desires. And all that data? That closes the reward loop to make your brain start craving meditation rather than being the thing you have to force yourself to do. And if Neurofeedback really works for you? Muse S can help you sleep too!
Meditation has been proven to help ADHD brains increase focus and concentration and decrease impulsivity, all while boosting mood. But let's face it- meditation sometimes feels like the epitome of non-ADHD-friendly ADHD treatment.
But even the most active of ADHD brains can access this powerful tool when you work to understand it and make it work for you. Calm's Jeff Warren is a perfect example of just that. Jeff talks about his struggles with ADHD and addiction and how hard it used to be for him to access meditation. His 30-day-how to meditate program is made up of small, manageable bite-sized chunks and it may just be the perfect intro to meditation for ADHD brains.
Calm's guided meditations are short, focused, and powerful. But the app doesn't stop there- it also includes sleep stories, interesting talks with meditation experts, and ambient noise for focus and concentration.
No ADHD gift guide is complete without this fundamental ADHD tool on it. Time timers are the ingenious tool that visualizes the passing of time allowing ADHD brains that so often struggle to note the passing of time get motivated by time pressure. The time timer helps your brain stay on track by keeping that time pressure front and center and allowing you the benefit of knowing where you stand.
Have you been wanting to ease your mornings and reduce your stress? Are you sick of spending all of your executive functioning energy on just getting out the door and feeling spent before you even start work? It may be time to introduce routines into your life. Brili is a brilliant app designed for adults with ADHD to help them build, keep and stick to routines. You create your customized routines, set the timing and Brili will not only remind you when it's time to get started but it will keep you on track throughout the process. This can be a game-changer for anyone struggling to get out the door on time.
Why spend all your energy fighting distractions when you can avoid them instead? These budget-conscious over-the-ear Bluetooth headphones pull double, distraction-avoiding duty by not only shutting out outside noise but by telling the world- "I'm busy." And sure, any over-ear noise-canceling headphones will do just that but, these super-comfy Bluetooth headphones come with active noise canceling, a 30-hour battery life, and virtual assistant, all at less than 50% the cost of most others on the market.
Fidgets can do wonders for easing anxiety and hyperactivity. Even if you don't struggle with a massive amount of extra energy, sometimes funneling a small amount of focus away from the thing you need to pay attention to can help increase focus. But you don't always want your fidgeting to be as obvious as a fidget spinner or medicine balls-- enter spinner rings. These handy little fidgets are disguised as chic, lovely jewelry - giving you the benefits of both boosting your focus and adding flair to your look.
Those who have been reading ADDept for a while know that I'm a pretty die-hard Peloton fan. The classes themselves are amazing- energizing, motivating, and just the right amount of challenging and fun. But the app doesn't stop there- it adds in endless variety, gamification, and rewards that keep you coming back day after day. And you don't have to go all in and buy their bikes or tread- you can do what I do and just run/ bike outside to the app. Peloton offers running, biking, yoga, meditation, dance, and cardio workouts to keep your thirst for novelty fresh, and they offer endless partnerships and thematic workouts to keep you entertained. Give your brain the focus, mood, and regulation boost it needs this year, and try out a free subscription.
Love the feel of a cat lying on your lap? Feel the stress of the dentist ease as they put a leaded x-ray blanket over you? Then a weighted blanket may be just your thing. Weighted blankets have been shown to help reduce anxiety and ease stress. These chunky knit blankets are sustainably sourced and ethically hand-knitted in India and not only give you weighted relief, but they look chic and lovely too!
Looking for even more ADHD gift inspo? Check out last year’s gift guide too!
Many of the links on this page are affiliate links. That means that I receive a small commission at no charge to you. These commissions help keep ADDept going. But don’t worry- I NEVER recommend a product I don’t use and love myself.
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