Today’s Topic: Circadian Rhythm Disorders
On Mental Health Friday, we post, in alphabetical order, one per week, information on mental health disorders. Mental Health Friday is for informational purposes only, and is in no way meant to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Please do not self diagnose and seek professional help for what ails you.
Circadian Rhythm Disorders
Circadian rhythm disorders are problems that occur when your sleep-wake cycle is not properly aligned with your environment and interferes with your daily activities.
You have a biological clock that controls the timing of several activities and functions of your body, including when you go to sleep and wake up. This internal mechanism is called the circadian clock. The circadian clock cycles about every 24 hours. These repeating 24-hour cycles are called the circadian rhythm. The control of your circadian rhythm is a function of certain genes in the DNA called circadian clock genes.
Your body tries to align your sleep-wake cycle to cues from the environment, for example, when it gets light or dark outside, when you eat, and when you are physically active. When your sleep-wake cycle is out of sync with your environment, you may have difficulty sleeping, and the quality of your sleep may be poor. Disruptions of your sleep-wake cycle that interfere with daily activities may mean that you have a circadian rhythm disorder.
Disruptions in your sleep patterns can be temporary and caused by external factors such as your sleep habits, job, or travel. Or a circadian rhythm disorder can be long-term and caused by internal factors such as your age, your genes, or a medical condition. Symptoms may include extreme daytime sleepiness, insomnia, tiredness, decreased alertness, and problems with memory and decision-making.
To diagnose a circadian rhythm disorder, your doctor may ask about your sleep habits, suggest sleep tests, a diary to track when and how long you sleep, and test the levels of certain hormones in your blood or saliva. Your treatment plan will depend on the type and cause of your circadian rhythm disorder. Treatment may include light therapy, medicines to help you fall asleep or stay awake, or healthy lifestyle changes including steps to improve your sleep habits. If left untreated, circadian rhythm disorders may increase the risk of certain health problems or lead to workplace and road accidents.
People who work during the night have a higher risk for shift work disorder. Jet lag disorder is more common in pilots, flight attendants, athletes, and people who travel often for business.
Your genes may play a role in whether you naturally wake up early in the morning or go to sleep later at night. This genetic preference of an early or late bedtime can raise your risk for advanced or delayed sleep-wake phase disorder if your rhythm is out of sync with your environment or social responsibilities.
in certain genes can also raise your risk for circadian rhythm disorders. These include the genes that control your body’s and certain genes that affect brain development or health.
Lifestyle habits can raise your risk for circadian rhythm disorders. These include:
- Alcohol use
- caffeine use
- Frequent air travel
- Illegal drug use
- Lack of exposure to natural light during the day
- Unhealthy sleep habits such as regularly staying up late and nighttime exposure to artificial light, including light from a TV screen, a smartphone, or a very bright alarm clock.
Several medical conditions can increase your risk for circadian rhythm disorders, including:
- Autism spectrum disorders
- Certain genetic conditions, such as Smith-Magenis syndrome, Angelman syndrome, and Huntington’s disease
- Conditions that affect eyesight, such as blindness and macular degeneration. This raises the risk for non-24-hour sleep-wake rhythm disorder.
- Conditions that cause damage to the brain, such as traumatic brain injuries, strokes, and brain
- Mental health conditions, such as bipolar disorder, major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and schizophrenia. This raises the risk of delayed sleep-wake phase disorder.
- diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and Parkinson’s disease. These conditions are more common in older adults and can increase your risk for irregular sleep-wake phase disorder.
How do neurodegenerative conditions lead to circadian rhythm disorders?
People who have neurodegenerative conditions and are living in nursing homes may not have a clear pattern of day and night. They may have few social interactions during the day and be awakened for medicine and care throughout the day and night. This can lead to a disrupted sleep-wake cycle, which may cause circadian rhythm disorders.
Men are more likely to have advanced sleep-wake phase disorder than women.
Women may be more likely to experience circadian rhythm disorders at certain stages of life.
- Hormonal changes that happen during pregnancy, after childbirth, and at menopause can cause problems with sleep.
- Discomfort during pregnancy may also prevent good-quality sleep.
- After childbirth, sleep interruptions and nighttime exposure to light while caring for a newborn can increase your risk for circadian rhythm disorders.