Circadian Rhythm Disorder

Question: How can I cope with my circadian rhythm disorder? I've had insomnia for most of my life and I just came across this new term of circadian rhythm disorder that I just diagnosed myself with... Help I don't get enough sleep!!

Answer: Like any self diagnosis, it's better and far more accurate to seek a professional instead of simply giving yourself a proper medical degree. There are several reasons for insomnia ranging from diet to mental disorders. If you're having that much trouble sleeping, inform your doctor, get a sleep study done and find out what really is the problem.

Question: does anyone else have a circadian rhythm disorder? I've been diagnosed by three sleep doctors with a circadian rhythm disorder and i'm having extreme difficulty rectifying it. my doctor has instructed me to take melatonin every night...as early as i can be home on a regular basis. he also instructed me to get as much light as possible when i wake up in the morning and as little as possible after 8pm...no being on the computer late at night...only watching t.v at night after 8pm in the dark. my biggest problem is that...although i'm 20 i'm afraid of the dark still...and i live with my boyfriend not my parents...so i always have the t.v on mute or i have the light on when i sleep and my doctor said absolutely no light when you are trying to fall asleep because my body's clock is based upon light. when i fall asleep in the dark i tend to have awful nightmares and am scared the whole time i am falling asleep unless my bf is awake while i'm falling asleep. so i'm having trouble on that end. also he told me i can't work after 8pm...because i work in a retail store and i am exposed to a lot of bright light inside the store...either that or i have to wear sunglasses after 8pm...which will be completely embarassing and will make my sales goals even more unattainable. my boss is MOST DEFINITELY not going to allow me to only work until 8pm and probably won't be too pleased about the sunglasses thing either but i'm sure she could deal w/ it. so any suggestions on how to otherwise fix my body clock...its 5 am now and i'm still not asleep! yay. i'm not going back to the doctors until may 27th. so until then i am basically on my own trying to fix this. i'm also failing out of college because of it.

Answer: Had to give a thumbs up to windrain (above). i usually dont answer questions that i feel already have a decent answer (in hope to not lower my "best answer percentage") lol, but seriously, i guess, who cares... this question interested me. got me wonder, there's got to be groups for this - maybe even a forum online with help/suggestions/support from others in the same situation. i'll have to check it out now. got me curious. =) first, let me say, i have not actually been diagnosed by a physician, but all my life, i felt something was wrong w/me (as far as sleeping goes). just recently i started reading up online - self diagnosing myself w/this or the 24 hour sleep d/o or a combination of both. i'd love to go to the doctor now, but no insurance, & i can already imagine what the repeated visits will cost me. anyways... i wonder how helpful this medicine is (melatonin). now... being a full-time college student (& i work full-time) myself, i know it's next to impossible to find other jobs besides resturaunt & retail while in school, but maybe a resturaunt job would be better for you - just working the supper rush & you could be home by 7pm. problem less hourly pay, but usually you can make that up in tips & then some once you get use to your job in a few weeks or a month. when looking for a job, you don't have to tell your employer you have a sleep d/o. (it's really none of their business.) just let them know, you're taking a full load at school, & you're looking for a change to enable yourself to be home earlier in order to get your homework done & study harder. as for your extreme fear of the dark, i dont know what to say, except yes, get on top of that. the fear itself is normal, but you're taking it to an extreme which can't be healthy. but like the previous post said, i definately think the tv even is too much of a distraction. what about a radio w/soft music? what about a night light - very dim & soft? [this is even before i actually figured i had a sleep disorder. well, i have thought all my life something was wrong, but i did all this before i ever read up on suggestions for people w/sleep d/o's & these things seem to help me.] in my room, i have a red light bulb w/black lampshade & some black fabrics over it. sound a little trashy looking, but i pick out some nice fabrics & prints from walmart. the 1st one is just plain black fabric then on top of that i have a shear black w/a floral print. (it does go w/my purple, black & gray decor. =) it really dims the effect of the red light even more. in my bedroom, i have 2 windows. both have blinds i keep closed. then on top of them, i have that same plain black fabric (from walmart that i have over my lamp) layered 3 times - folded neatly as possible & actually just thumb tacked over both blinds going just beyond the window boarders. over that i bought an actual shear purple (goes w/my comforter) over a black fancy rod to frame the windows. this keeps out almost all light. i also have a mask for my eyes. other wise, the light from my alarm clock or those nights when the moon some how shines through all that fabric & my blinds, with my eyes closed, they will still wonder to the light i can see through my eye lids. i keep a glad plug-in w/a night light in my bathroom so in case i get up in the middle of the night, i dont have to turn the light on. i keep my whole house dark, but i leave the florescent light in my kitchen above my sink which is actually a really soft light (not sure why this seems to be, except that it is kind of framed w/wood or cabinets around it). it's light enough to light up each room from it's location, but still soft enough not to kill my eyes when waking up to it. 7:15am ~ yes, 1st thing in the morning, i use the bathroom, i dont turn the light on yet. i am preparing myself to face the daylight. washing my face/eyes, etc... then i make it a habit to go into my kitchen & turn the blinds open to allow the sunshine through. then i make it a habit, no matter what i think the weather is, to go to my front door & open it just for a second... to check my car windows (in the window for frost) & to take a minute to feel the actual temperature with my own skin (not a thermometer). then, turn the tv on & fix myself some breakfast (usually just a bowl of cereal)... not rushing, but really just waking up (b/c i'm still not fully awake)... not really even watching tv, but i'll usually go sit on the couch to eat. it might only be 10 minutes, but then i'll go get ready. yes, w/the lights on. it's hard... especially b/c i dont ever feel like i get enough sleep, but seriously, i have forced myself to continue this everyday now for 6 months & i'm started to finally be able to fall asleep befor midnight now... which i've rarely ever been able to do my whole life unless i was up for 2 days in a row or was living on just a few hours of sleep for days on end. i could probably go to sleep earlier, but w/my day, it almost is never over until 10pm.... so w/in the first couple hours of activity, sleep is not happening. 10-12 is my winding down period. fridays is my catch up on sleep i missed over the weekend. saturday is my night to enjoy myself/friends/family. sunday is back to the routine for monday.

Question: I need ideas for an Educational Activity about Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorder? like some sort of game, presentation, activity, etc that i can do with my psychology class

Answer: hmm, well i don't even know what that is! i'll just guess some random things ;) flash cards, puppet show, word association, nap time, sing a longs, a video... ahaha i'm just throwing random things out there because i have no clue what you're even talking about. love you!

Question: Circadian rhythm sleep disorder? I always go to sleep after midnight and always wake up after noon. ( Iwork at home, at my own hours) Whenever i try getting up early, like when i under-sleep and go to sleep ealier and get up early the next day, i usually get into a rhymn where i wake up at 4, go to sleep at 7(this has happened many times before) for a couple of weeks then slowly i go to sleep later and later, until i get back into my old cycle. Do you think i have this disorder?

Answer: Not necessarily. You could see a doctor. I'd ask about it at the next check-up, if I were you. Everyone is different, and also need different amounts of sleep. When I was a teenager, I slept 12 hours a day anytime I could-much of the summer and weekends. Another point is-the more you sleep, the more sleep you will need, just like people who eat too much, it becomes a habit and your body 'thinks' it needs that amount. Try to 're-set' your biological sleep clock, if it is important to you, because it will be a bit of work and take some dedication like a diet or breaking a long standing habit. You go to bed a little earlier and get up earlier each day, but stick to it. I think you have done this before, but then you slid back into your old pattern. The trick is: Go outside and get some sun first thing in the morning. This tells your internal clock-Hey, this is morning, wake up!! At least 10 minutes of full sun, but longer would be better. Another way to break this cycle is to stay up almost 24 hours, then go to bed at the time you desire to always be your regular time. Get up as close to a normal time as you can, then go get some sun. There are light boxes that are supposed to be like sunshine, but they aren't as good (and are expensive). Research on the web about sleep and also Jet Lag. I think there are more things you can do. Live well and do good

Question: Circadian rhythm disorder.? I have a severe case of what's known as DSPS (Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome) and I also experience extreme sleep inertia and I often experience a strange phenomenon known as Sleep Paralysis. My sleep problems are taking over my life and all I want is to function efficiently in normal day-to-day society. If anyone can offer any insight, whether it be from professional or personal experience, it would be greatly appreciated. If anyone shares the same sleep disorder I have I would like to know if you have found a way to successfully manage it. At this point I'm standing by watching my life spiral out of control. I feel as if I am literally sleeping through my life. Please help if you can. I have seen a sleep specialist and followed a strict and rigorous sleep schedule prescribed by him---didn't work. I've had tests done--it was pointless. I have 8 alarm clocks. I've had people come in or call me to wake me up. I've taken valerian root, Benadryll, Melatonin...nothing seems to work. I'm at the point where I'm trying to find a hypnotist or accupuncturist to see if I can fix my problem through unconventional methods. i have been tested for narcolepsy and sleep apnea--both tests were negative. And restless leg syndrome doesn't apply in my case.

Answer: u shld start doing meditation.... there is a form in yoga know as SHAVASSAN.... where go in a sleep mode but still awake n aware of everything... just try to seek some professional help in meditation n try to do it SHAVASSAN position... or just go throught some search in google or yahoo regarding it... i thnk few days of it might b able to help u out with ur problem...

Question: Possible circadian rhythm disorder..? I have extremely, extremely weird sleeping patterns. I go to sleep at 6 or 7 in the morning, and wake up at 4 or 5 in the afternoon. The thing is, even if I try to I can't seem to fall asleep before 6 AM. On days where I am running off of three hours of sleep, I still don't go to bed until 6 AM and I don't know why. I'll be exhausted all day but as soon as nighttime hits I'm suddenly wide awake. I'm nocturnal, damnit! Despite my attempts to regulate sleeping patterns a little more, I always end up back on this pattern... I think it might have to do with the lighting conditions in my room. I don't have a window in my room, so no natural light, and I prefer to be in my room with the lights off. I've heard that that can throw off your sleep pattern.

Answer: There is such a thing as a circadian rhythm disorder, but ther are very rare. I'd suggest getting a daylight lamp - one that you can program to come on when you need to wake up and with at least 10,000 lux (measure of brightness). Seeing bright light when you get up resets your body clock so you feel tired at the right time later that day. There have been loads of experiments into this - people who live in the dark during arctic winters etc have major problems with sleep. See the link below:

Question: Shift Work Sleep Disorder, or Circadian rhythm sleep disorder? Hello! I've worked night shift (12:30 to 8:30 am) for 6 years, and just had a baby in November. I've always been overtired, not because I didn't sleep enough, but because of my shift (I think it messed with my body clock pretty bad). I've been able to deal with it, but always slept a lot to make up for it. Since I've had my son, I now sleep an average of 4-6 hours per day, (my fiance and I watch the baby in shifts.) This has really taken a toll on me, and I would like to change my shift, but right now it's not possible for several reasons. But I do this 5 days/wk, and on my weekends, I sleep at night. The day before I go back to work, I have to wake up early in the morning, I end up staying up all day, then all night, and through the first half of the next day, when I finally go to sleep at 4:00 pm. Needless to say I'm always a zombie, and have a lot of mental troubles (memory, etc.) My question is, is there a name for this, and are there RX pills I can ask about to be more awake? Thank you for your advice! (I get plenty of caffeine LOL, but is there a non-caffeine pill you might suggest?) Thanks.

Answer: Actually, there is a name for this, as described in the 'International Classification of Sleep Disorders": The disorder is called: Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorder - Shift Work Type. Or also, just "Shift Work Disorder". Assuming you meet the criteria, you might have this disorder. There are treatment options for shift workers. Behavioral modifications and sleep hygiene improvements may dramatically improve your symptoms. Provigil has also recently been approved for use with this disorder. Talk to your doctor about these options. You will be able to find some helpful info at American Sleep Association. Check out both links below.

Question: Can mental health disorders be caused be a sleep disorder or is the sleep disorder caused by the mental health Can depression or anxiety be caused by a sleep disorder (specifically Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorder) or is the sleep disorder caused by the depression and anxiety? Or can it be either?

Answer: It can be either. We don't always know what comes first-the chicken or the egg, so to speak-what we know is that there is a relationship. Serotonin is produced during sleep, so a disruption in sleep would affect serotonin levels and this could result in depression, particularly if the disruption was long term. Sleep disturbances are a hallmark of depression and could lead to a sleep disorder resulting from chronic insomnia. That's why good sleep hygiene practices are so important in managing depression and why shift-work can exacerbate mental health issues in many people, especially those who are predisposed.

Question: Does the environment cause mental disorders, bipolar disorder or mania just to name a few? I read that the word loony came from back then when the only source of light was the moon. Light sources at night apparently might have cause bipolar disorder in people. I wonder did it have the same effect on me. My old parents have set up night-lights in every room since i could remember, and its sometime even bright enough to read at the lightsource. I dont know why exactly but it drives me insane. Its like i want to jump up and run into a wall, and hit myself with something hard. I move around so much in my bed, i can wake people up. But then, it doesnt have the same effect on my parents...I hvae to sleep in total darkness but since light polution makes the sky light up a bright crimson or pink, i have lots of trouble falling asleep. I usually need to wake up early too. It seems my circadian rhythms are messed up, but my parents fear that if diaster happens at night, they cant get out if its dark. They sleep save, i go to bed insane... Whats your assessment?

Answer: It does sound as though your circadian rhythms are messed up. Find a way you can sleep in total darkness----- better blinds, mask, etc. Make this aspect of your health a priority. Go to bed at the same time EVERY NITE----- even weekends. And get up at the same time EVERY morning, even weekends. Make sure you're getting at least 8 hrs. of sleep a nite. It will take about 3-4 weeks of this to get back in sync. I wish you the best. E-mail me to let me know how you're doing.

Question: What's wrong with my Circadian rhythm? For years now, I've been off about sleep, and I didn't think much of it. This was because I've been a sufferer of panic disorder and didn't get out much. Now that I'm trying to make an effort to defeat panic disorder, I've found this whole sleeping thing to be the main problem. For example, let's say one day I have a normal sleeping pattern. I go to bed at 10 -11 PM and wake up at 9 AM. However, the next day or two later, I won't be able to fall asleep until midnight -1 AM, and therefore, I'll wake up around 11 AM - noon. This continues in a whole cycle for a week or so until I end up around the "normal" time again, and then it starts again. What is this called and is there any way I can get help for this?

Answer: mmmm sounds like a form of delayed phase sleep disorder, talk to your doctor or look at herbal and natural remedies that could help you sleep easier