Understanding Your Body Clock: Insights from an Austin Sleep Specialist on Circadian Rhythms and Their Disorders
Your circadian rhythm is a roughly 24-hour biological rhythm you can think of as an internal clock. It impacts your sleep-wake cycle as well as numerous other biological processes. Some people have difficulty when their circadian rhythm doesn’t match the demands of their life. There are solutions for this! Reach out today to schedule a free consult with a sleep specialist in Austin.
As a sleep specialist in Austin, I often encounter individuals struggling with their sleep. One of the things that’s always in the back of my mind is, “Is this a circadian rhythm issue?”
What is the Circadian Rhythm?
Circadian rhythms are biological rhythms that occur in humans, repeating approximately every 24 hours. The term "circadian" itself comes from the Latin words "circa" (about) and "dies" (day), highlighting this roughly daily cycle. These rhythms govern numerous bodily processes, most notably your sleep-wake cycle, but also influence body temperature and melatonin production, among other things.
Interestingly, every known living organism possesses a circadian rhythm, and at a cellular level, every cell in your body operates according to one. The master control center for these rhythms in your brain is called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). The SCN acts as the central clock, synchronizing the circadian rhythms of all your body's cells.
Internal vs. External Synchronization: The Key to Healthy Sleep
While internal synchronization is crucial, it's only half the equation for healthy sleep. Your internal circadian rhythm also needs to align with the demands of your daily life. When your natural inclination to sleep and wake occurs at "inconvenient" times, sleep-related problems are likely to arise.
A typical adult tends to fall asleep between 10 and 11 pm and wake up between 6 and 7 am. However, there's natural variation:
Larks: Individuals who naturally lean 1-2 hours earlier than this average are considered "larks" and this is within the range of normal.
Owls: Similarly, people who naturally prefer to go to bed and wake up 1-2 hours later are called "owls," and this is also considered normal.
When Your Sleep Schedule Becomes a Disorder
When you have a circadian rhythm disorder, the clock can become the enemy. Reach out today to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation with a sleep specialist in Austin who knows how to diagnose and treat circadian rhythm disorders.
The point at which a sleep preference becomes a disorder is when the timing of sleep and wakefulness falls so significantly outside the norm that it begins to cause problems in a person's life. This is when a circadian rhythm disorder may be present.
Delayed Sleep-Wake Phase Disorder (DSWPD)
Individuals with Delayed Sleep-Wake Phase Disorder (DSWPD) typically fall asleep and wake up anywhere from 2 to 6 hours later than the conventional 11 pm to 7 am sleep window. Left to their own schedules, these individuals will often fall asleep between 2 am and 6 am and wake up between 10 am and 1 pm.
Advanced Sleep-Wake Phase Disorder (ASWPD)
Conversely, people with Advanced Sleep-Wake Phase Disorder (ASWPD) experience a sleep-wake cycle that is shifted 2 to 6 hours earlier than the norm. Without an alarm, they will often fall asleep between 6 pm and 9 pm and wake up between 2 am and 5 am.
The Natural Shift of Circadian Rhythms Throughout Life
It's important to note that the circadian rhythm naturally changes with age. Newborns have very little established circadian rhythm. Over the first decade of life, the sleep phase consolidates into a single, longer block. This block tends to shorten during adolescence and shifts later into older adolescence and young adulthood. As individuals age further, the sleep phase often shifts earlier again.
Here is a visual of how the circadian rhythm shifts over time.
Circadian Rhythm Disorders: A Focus for Your Austin Sleep Specialist
As a sleep specialist in Austin, many of my clients seek help for complaints of insomnia or excessive daytime sleepiness (hypersomnia). In these cases, assessing for an underlying circadian rhythm issue is always a key part of my evaluation. While several circadian rhythm disorders exist, I want to focus on Delayed Sleep Phase and Advanced Sleep Phase.
Understanding and Treating Delayed Sleep-Wake Phase Disorder (DSWPD)
As mentioned earlier, individuals with Delayed Sleep-Wake Phase Disorder function best when their sleep and wake times are significantly later than what is considered conventional.
It's not inherently problematic to be a "night owl" if your lifestyle accommodates it. Some individuals with a delayed sleep phase choose to structure their lives around their natural sleep patterns, opting for evening or night-shift work. However, for those whose delayed sleep phase interferes with their daytime obligations, it is possible to shift their rhythm earlier using properly timed light exposure and melatonin. Importantly, it's also possible to experience both insomnia and delayed sleep phase, and fortunately, there are clear treatment protocols for both conditions. As your sleep specialist in Austin, I can assess and treat both of these issues.
Understanding and Managing Advanced Sleep-Wake Phase Disorder (ASWPD)
Advanced Sleep Phase is characterized by early morning awakenings, difficulty staying asleep, and feelings of sleepiness in the afternoon and early evening.
Interestingly, current treatment guidelines from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine only weakly recommend light therapy for these individuals and do not recommend melatonin at all. For those with ASWPD, the most effective approach often involves trying to structure their lives to align with their natural sleep patterns.
Is Your Sleep Schedule Causing Problems? Connect with an Austin Sleep Specialist
Does your preferred sleep schedule create difficulties in your daily life? If so, I encourage you to click here to schedule a consultation with a sleep specialist in Austin to discuss your concerns and explore potential solutions.