Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorder

This delay occurs when ones internal sleep clock circadian rhythm is shifted later at night and later in the morning.

Circadian rhythm sleep disorder. This disorder can profoundly interfere with your life. For example your sleep time may be delayed to the point that you are going to sleep at noon instead of night.

Your body runs on an internal clock that causes you to feel sleepier at night and more awake and alert during the day. Circadian rhythm sleep disorders all involve a problem in the timing of when a person sleeps and is awake.

The human body has a master circadian clock in a control center of the brain known as the suprachiasmatic nucleus SCN. Circadian rhythm sleep disorders are a group of sleep disorders that all share the common feature of a disruption in the timing of sleep. Delayed sleep-wake phase disorder DSP is a circadian rhythm disorder.

Though rare this condition causes severe disturbance in your circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm is so mixed up that you dont have a single period of full-sleep. Primary pathophysiology of circadian rhythm sleep disorders CRSDs is a misalignment between the endogenous circadian rhythm phase and the desired or socially required sleep-wake schedule or dysfunction of the circadian pacemaker and its afferentefferent pathways.

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine AASM International Classification of Sleep Disorders a circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorder occurs because of an alteration to the bodys internal timekeeping system the clocks inability to entrain roughly every 24 hours or a misalignment between the clock and a persons external environment. OSA reduces the bodys oxygen levels and causes numerous sleep interruptions through the night.

Circadian rhythm sleep disorders often result when the desire to sleep is misaligned with the day-night cycle. Circadian rhythm is the name given to your bodys 24-hour internal clock. In addition studies have identified circadian rhythm disruptions as potential contributors 15 to obstructive sleep apnea OSA a sleep disorder marked by repeated lapses in breathing.