Fidgeting and ADHD
January 29, 2026
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16:35Now PlayingFidgeting and ADHD
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Fidgeting is defined as non-goal-directed movements usually of a rhythmic nature. People with ADHD fidget more than others. Fidgeting has a been divided into extrinsic, involving items such as a pen, ball or fidget spinner, and intrinsic, where it is just parts of one’s own body that are moving, but it is not clear how important this distinction is.
Fidgeting does not appear to be random. A small number of human and animals studies correlated increased fidgeting with tasks requiring concentration, and that fidgeting is associated with better performance on these tasks. Fidgeting can activate frontal cortex regions involved in executive functions. Fidgeting appears to help regulate levels of prefrontal cortical activity to optimal levels for tasks requiring sustained effort, but this is still considered a working hypothesis, rather than established fact.
Only a handful of studies, so to speak, have looked at whether fidget spinners help with focus or concentration, with mixed results, but all of the studies were small and not particularly well designed.
Fidgeting also plays an important role in energy metabolism, weight control, and overall health. In fact, there’s currently as much evidence that fidgeting will save you life as there is to support the claim that it will tune your brain.
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References:
A quantitative analysis of fidgeting in ADHD and its relation to performance and sustained attention on a cognitive task (2024)
Single-trial neurodynamics are dominated by richly varied movements (2019 Anne Churchland)
The Impact of Fidget Spinners on Fine Motor Skills in Individuals with and without ADHD: An Exploratory Analysis (2022)
Using Fidget Spinners to Improve On-Task Classroom Behavior for Students With ADHD (2022)
To Fidget or Not to Fidget, That Is the Question: A Systematic Classroom Evaluation of Fidget Spinners Among Young Children With ADHD (2020)
Full Chapter list:
Streamed live July 23, 2024
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Psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and author John Kruse, MD, PhD presents practical, actionable, well-researched information about treatment options that scientists and clinicians recommend for adult ADHD and other mental health conditions.
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