- 1. Sleep Phase Delay Syndrome
- 2. Sleep Phase Advancement Syndrome
- 3. Irregular Standard Type
- 4. Sleep-wake cycle type other than 24 h
- 5. Sleep Disorder Related to Changing Time Zones
- 6. Shift Worker Sleep Disorder
The circadian cycle can be altered in some situations, which can cause sleep disturbances and cause symptoms such as excessive sleepiness during the day and insomnia at night, or even cause more serious health problems.
There are several ways to treat circadian cycle disorders, through physical exercise, sun exposure and melatonin intake, for example, being of great importance to maintain good sleep hygiene, which is characterized by the adoption of good sleep habits in order to replenish the energy that the body and mind need. See how to perform sleep hygiene.
1. Sleep Phase Delay Syndrome
People who suffer from this disorder have difficulty falling asleep and have a preference for sleeping late and difficulty getting up early. These people generally fall asleep and wake up late most nights, which can cause disruption in their social life.
Despite falling asleep and waking up later, in most cases, people with this syndrome have normal sleep. It is not known for sure what the causes of this disorder are, but it is thought that the cause is genetic, and that some environmental factors may also have an influence, as is the case of decreased exposure to light in the morning, excessive exposure to light at dusk, watching television or playing late video games, for example.
How to treat
One way to treat this problem is to delay sleep time even more, 2 to 3 hours every 2 days, until reaching the appropriate sleep time, however it is a very difficult treatment to achieve due to the need for strict adherence to the scheme and inconveniences of intermediate times. In addition, putting bright light at the right time to wake up and taking melatonin at dusk can help to readjust the biological time. See more about melatonin.
2. Sleep Phase Advancement Syndrome
People with this disorder fall asleep and wake up too early than is considered normal and usually sleep early or late in the afternoon and wake up very early without the need for an alarm clock.
How to treat
To treat this problem, bedtime can be delayed, from 1 to 3 h every 2 days, until reaching the expected sleep time and resort to phototherapy. Find out what phototherapy is and what it is for.
3. Irregular Standard Type
These people have an undefined circadian rhythm of the sleep-wake cycle. Generally the most common symptoms are drowsiness or insomnia of great intensity according to the time of day, forcing people to nap during the day.
Some of the causes of this disorder can be poor sleep hygiene, lack of sun exposure, lack of physical exercise or social activities and it usually affects people with neurological diseases, such as dementia and mental retardation.
How to treat
To treat this disorder, the person must establish a fixed time in which he wishes to have the sleep period, and in his free moments, practice physical exercises and social activities. In addition, taking melatonin at dusk and exposure to light at the time of getting up, for 1 or 2 h, can help achieve a biological time.
4. Sleep-wake cycle type other than 24 h
People with this disorder have a longer circadian cycle, of about 25 hours, which can cause insomnia and excessive sleepiness. The cause of this circadian rhythm other than 24 h is the lack of light, which is why blind people are generally the most susceptible to developing this disorder.
How to treat:
Treatment is done with melatonin at dusk. Learn how to take melatonin.
5. Sleep Disorder Related to Changing Time Zones
This disorder, also known as Jet Lag related sleep disorder, has been on the rise lately due to the increase in long-distance air travel. This disorder is transient and can last from 2 to 14 days, which depends on the number of time zones crossed, the direction in which the trip is made and the person's age and physical capacity.
Although the person may experience excessive sleepiness throughout the day, insomnia at night and may wake up several times throughout the night, the endogenous circadian cycle is normalized, and the disorder arises due to a conflict between the sleep-wake cycle and the demand for sleep. a new standard due to a new time zone.
In addition to sleep disorders, people with Jet Lag may also experience symptoms such as gastrointestinal discomfort, changes in memory and concentration, coordination difficulties, weakness, dizziness, headache, tiredness and malaise and decreased appetite.
How to treat
The treatment consists of sleep hygiene before, during and after the trip and adaptation to the sleep / wake time of the destination. In addition, medications that must be prescribed by the doctor, such as Zolpidem, Midazolam or Alprazolam and melatonin, can be used.
6. Shift Worker Sleep Disorder
This disorder has been increasing due to the new rhythm of work, occurring in people who work in shifts, especially those who change their working hours repeatedly and quickly, and in which the circadian system is unable to successfully adapt to those hours.
The most frequent symptoms are insomnia and drowsiness, decreased vitality and performance, which may increase the risk of accidents at work, increased rate of breast, colorectal and prostate cancer, increased blood pressure, increased gastrointestinal disorders and problems reproductive
How to treat
Dealing with this problem has limitations, because the worker's schedule is very unstable. However, if the symptoms cause a lot of discomfort, the doctor may recommend treatment with stimulating or sedative / hypnotic remedies and isolation from the sleep environment during the day.
