What is circadian rhythm disorder?
Circadian rhythms are the body’s natural internal clock and can impact body temperature, sleep, wakefulness, and hormone fluctuations. When the sleep and wakefulness of your circadian rhythm is out of sync, it’s called circadian rhythm disorder.
What causes circadian rhythm disorder?
There are several key things that can impact your circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythm disorder can be categorized by the things that can impact your body’s natural rhythm and cause continuous or occasional interruptions to your sleep.
- Shift work – a job that requires you to work during the night can impact your circadian rhythm. Since a night shift or rotating shift can require you to work opposite of your body’s natural circadian rhythm, sleep can become fragmented as your brain is still naturally programmed to be awake during the day.
- Jet lag – jet lag is the most common cause of circadian rhythm disorder. When you travel across time zones, symptoms of the disorder can become present and can last upwards of a week.
- Delayed sleep phase disorder (DSP) – if you experience delayed sleep phase disorder (DSP), you may find it hard to fall asleep before 2 a.m. and this can lead to difficulty waking up at a “normal” time in the morning.
- Advanced sleep phase disorder (ASP) – advanced sleep phase disorder (ASP) is more common among older adults and follows the “early to bed, early to rise” narrative. Patients diagnosed with ASP often find themselves sleepy in the afternoon and evening, which leads them to going to bed earlier than normal.
- Irregular sleep-wake rhythm – irregular sleep-wake rhythm is defined by a patient's inability to establish a normal sleep pattern, no matter how hard they try. Bedtimes can vary throughout a 24-hour period, and this leads to the similar symptoms as jet lag.
What are symptoms of circadian rhythm disorder?
Most often, extreme tiredness and lack of alertness are key symptoms of a circadian rhythm disorder. Other symptoms can include:
- Insomnia
- Difficulty waking
- Depression
- Sleep loss
- Poor performance at school or work
How is circadian rhythm disorder diagnosed?
One of the ways circadian rhythm disorder is diagnosed is a daily sleep log detailing any disruptions or irregularities that occur. Sleep logs or diaries can also be used with an actigraphy, a watch-like device, that monitors and records sleep and wake activity. If necessary, an overnight sleep study may be performed.
How is treatment for circadian rhythm disorder treated?
The ideal treatment of a circadian rhythm disorder is to regulate sleep patterns so that patients get the necessary sleep needed. Treatment options can vary based on the type of circadian rhythm disorder present.
Some of the treatment options available include bright light therapy, a form of high intensity light that is used to reset the circadian rhythm by slowly adjusting sleep patterns to the desired bedtime. Additional treatment options can include medications like melatonin or chronotherapy, which slowly adjusts your sleep time by around two hours every few days for several weeks.
It’s important you share any sleeping concerns you have with your healthcare provider. A sleep specialist, like the ones at The Iowa Clinic, can help diagnose and treat circadian rhythm disorders so that you’re back to sleeping without any struggles in the very near future. To make an appointment to discuss your sleeping concerns, call our West Lakes Sleep Center at 515.875.9555.