Circadian rhythm is a an innate biologic feature of living organisms that relates to time and life functions. Generally, this rhythm is based on a 24-hour period.
Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders refer to disruptions in the timing of sleep and wake and the consequences that result form the disruption. We all have an internal clock that regulates certain biological functions over a 24-hour period. That clock is referred to as your circadian rhythm..
As with many body functions, your circadian rhythm can get out of alignment for a variety of reasons. For example, the demands of a job, newborn baby or travel can disrupt your body clock. When your internal rhythm is off, it can affect your sleep as well as your wake time.
We all have an internal clock that regulates certain biological functions over a 24-hour period. That clock is referred to as your circadian rhythm. Patterns of hormone production, appetite, and cell regeneration are associated with a person’s circadian rhythm, and circadian rhythm disorders can play a significant role in disrupting your sleep-wake cycle.
People have a circadian rhythm that involves being awake during the daytime and sleeping at night. Certain factors affect your circadian rhythm including melatonin production. Melatonin is a hormone in the body that helps regulate sleep. Melatonin production is affected by sunlight. When you’re exposed to light, melatonin levels are low. But when light decreases, such as in the evening, your body makes more melatonin, which in turn makes you sleepy.
Keep in mind; there are individual variations in a person’s internal clock. For example, you might feel you are naturally a morning person, or maybe you consider yourself a night owl.
Symptoms of circadian rhythm disorders may vary in severity. Some people only experience problems, such as jet lag when traveling. In other cases, the disorder may be chronic and affect daily living. Circadian rhythm disorders often cause decreased quality of sleep, which can lead to sleep deprivation.
Treatment for circadian rhythm disorders may vary based on the severity of symptoms and the specific disorder. In most cases, one of the treatment approaches listed below is recommended.
Lifestyle and Behavioral Changes: In some instances, certain behavior and lifestyle changes may be all that is needed to treat a circadian rhythm disorder. Behavioral changes may include avoiding naps, caffeine and nicotine a few hours before bed. Adjusting exposure to light may also help. For example, if you have delayed sleep phase disorder, avoiding light exposure in the evening including light from cell phones and computers may be useful. Maintaining consistent bedtimes even on the weekends can also be helpful.
There’s a continuum of chronic types among people with healthy circadian clocks, ranging from ‘morning’ people (larks) who prefer to go to sleep early and awaken early, to ‘evening’ or ‘night’ people (owls), who prefer to go to sleep late at night and awaken late in the morning. Regardless of whether people are larks or owls, those with normal circadian systems can –
In one lot of research, volunteers were placed in special apartments or caves for several weeks, with no clocks or other time cues. Interestingly, without time cues, these volunteers went to bed roughly an hour later and awoke roughly an hour later each day. The results of these experiments appeared to show that humans have a free-running circadian rhythm of approximately 25 hours.
However, because these volunteers were able to control artificial lighting and the evening light caused a phase delay, more research was carried out. This new research showed that all adults free-run at an average of just over 24 hours (24 hours and 11 minutes, to be precise!). Our biological clock requires regular environmental time-cues in order to maintain a 24-hour day/night cycle. These time-cues, also known as zeitgebers, include our daily routine, and sunset and sunrise. We need time-cues to keep our normal human circadian clock aligned with the rest of the world.
Although anyone can develop a circadian rhythm disorder including children and teens, certain factors increase the risk. For instance, people who frequently travel across time zones and those who work the night shift are at an increased risk.
If you suspect you have a circadian rhythm disorder, you should consider seeing a sleep specialist. You may be asked to keep a sleep diary, and a sleep study may also be recommended.
Since circadian rhythm disorders lead to a lack of quality sleep, treatment is beneficial. Treatments can improve regular sleep patterns and help you get the restorative sleep your body needs.
Although it’s not always easy, maintaining a consistent sleep schedule is one of the best ways to prevent a circadian rhythm disorder.
American Sleep Association® ASA does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. ASA has beneficial partnerships with corporations listed at: Terms of Use and Conditions, Privacy Policy
© 2020 American Sleep Association.
Normally, I sleep well, but I have a problem waking up. It takes me 1 to 1.5 hours to become fully awake. Every morning, I start to wake up while I am dreaming. I will talk, laugh, or argue as if my dream is reality. I frequently call out to the people in my dreams; “Hey mom, come here!” Or hearing “dream activity” in my house, I will yell, “Who’s there?!” The problem is, I yell it over and over again, which can be very annoying to my husband. The biggest problem is, I sometimes have a romantic dream, starring a man other than my husband. I will leave the rest of that story to your imagination. Other than wearing a muzzle, is there anything I can do to wake up more quickly? I’ve had sleep studies, EEGs, psychotherapy, you name it! My last sleep doctor found the problem “very interesting.” But he had no diagnosis or remedy. Years ago, This “delayed waking up” caused a lot of problems at school and at work. I was always running late. That issue is now moot. But I would like to have more control over my morning mouth. Thanks for reading.
My girlfriend works as an ICU nurse doing 12 hr night shifts 4 nights a week, We are in our late 50's. Her shifts sometimes vary a night or two back and forth from week to week. On her off nights, she switches back to days to take care of chores and to chauffeur around her 3 children who are.mildly challenged. We don't live together.
I'm very concerned about her circadian rithym, she's usually tired, has problems losing weight, and has lost interest in the things and activities that she used to be passionate about.
She's been doing this for several years following a divorce.
I read a while ago about hormone and chemistry changes in the body when our circadian rithym is messed up for long periods of time. I can't find the resource that I was reading from and was hoping you could help me with a list of possible dangers, signs and symptoms of this behavior.
I love her very much but I am a construction electrician and she doesn't take me seriously.
Sincerely,
Robin C. Tulk
Circadian rhythm disorders are some of the few sleep disorders for which you really don't need an overnight sleep study. There are some tools/diagnostic equipment that you can use to help determine the sleep schedule of an individual. But these test are generally not very expensive. Some docs just use a sleep diary. With this tool the patient logs his/her sleep/wake schedule.
So I usually have delayed phase sleep disorder bur sometimes it shifts very closely into non-24 or what looks like it. I am not blind.
I had been sleeping between 3-4, for the past week my sleep/wake has been cycling around the clock. It has happened to me before on a couple of occasions.
Have you seen this before?