The circadian rhythm is simply explained as our 24-hour internal clock of the brain. It is responsible for influencing our alertness when it is light, and our sleepiness, when it is dark.
Circadian Rhythm Disorders are when sleep-wake cycles are not properly aligned with the environment which interrupts our daily activities. A person may have insomnia or could be excessively sleepy during the day. Travelers, shift workers, blind people, and pregnant women are a few at risk of having Circadian Rhythm Disorders.
Circadian Rhythm Disorders include:
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is when a person falls asleep very late and then have a difficult time waking up. Young adults and teenagers experience this the most.
Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome
affects most people who are blind because their circadian clock is not synced with dark and light. This creates a serious lack of sleep time and affect the quality of sleep. A person will find themselves going to bed and waking up later and later as time moves on.
Non-24-hour Sleep-Wake Rhythm Disorder
means there is no clear wake or sleep pattern. One would take several naps throughout the day.
Irregular Sleep-Wake Rhythm
affects people who work nights or rotating shifts during times of normal sleep hours. A person may be unable to sleep or remain sleep, feel consistently fatigue, and/or not well rested.
Shift Work Sleep Disorder
is the inability of your body to adjust to a new time once you’ve quickly travelled across multiple time zones. Flight attendants, pilots and locomotive engineers just to name a few at most risk.
Jet Lag
causes a person to fall asleep earlier than a normal bedtime and wake up hours earlier than most people. This usually occurs with older people.
Advanced Sleep-Wake Phase
**If you or your partner are experiencing any of these symptoms, please see your primary care physician and/or check with your insurance company for an in-network sleep provider.If you are unsure if you should see a provider, or if seeing a provider is not on your radar at this time, schedule a 30-min consultation for more information.