CIRCADIAN RHYTHM SLEEP DISORDER

CIRCADIAN RHYTHM: AN OVERVIEW

• Circadian Rhythm is the internal alarm system
• It controls when one falls asleep, and when one wakes up
• Circadian Rhythm affects the functions of many areas of the brain
• How we act depends on how much sleep we have had
• Once a circadian rhythm is given, it is fixed. It is called endogenous.

AN OVERVIEW CONT.

• Circadian rhythm is affected by many variables in the world.
• Only the circadian rhythm can send a message to the suprachiasmatic
• nucleus, which sends a message to the pineal, therefore setting forth
• the motion to produce melatonin.

THE BRAIN

CIRCADIAN RHYTHM SLEEP DISORDER?

CRSD

• CRSD occurs when there is a sudden change in the sleep schedule
• It is a recurring pattern of no sleep
• People with CRSD have trouble falling asleep and waking up
• CRSD occurs when there is a mismatch with one's endogenous circadian rhythm and the external system,
• i.e, the need for sleep

Demographics of CRSD

• Occurs during adolescence and can spread into adulthood
• CRSD can be inherited from past family ailments
• CRSD impacts about 4% of adults and 7% of adolescents

THERE ARE 4 TYPES OF CRSD

SHIFT WORK TYPE: CAUSES

• Occurs when there are conflicts between the natural and external circadian rhythms
• Happens to people with changing work shifts, mostly at night
• Circadian rhythm is constantly interrupted, and it cannot adjust in time
• This gives people sleep deprivation
• About 60% of late-shift workers exhibit the shift work type of CRSD

SHIFT WORK TYPE: SYMPTOMS

• Individuals feel fatigued and drowsy during their wake period of the day
• Gradual changing of work shifts makes individuals tirednor awake when they are not supposed to
• Family events, social events, drug intake, and alcohol consumption all worsen the shift work type

JET LAG TYPE: CAUSES

• Occurs when one's circadian rhythm does not match a foreign time zone
• The more trans-continental travel, the greater the jet lag
• East-bound travel advances sleep/wake hours
• West-bound travel delays sleep/wake hours

JET LAG TYPE: SYMPTOMS

• Sleepiness during desired wake-hours of the day
• Difficulty falling asleep
• Difficulty staying awake
• Hard to acclamate to the new time zones and their sleep/wake hours

DELAYED SLEEP TYPE: CAUSES

• Usually caused by a psychosocial stressor (Changes in the physical environment
• Usually occurs in adolescents and can spread into adulthood
• Mental irregularities also affect delayed sleep
• Delayed sleep type causes sleep deprivation from an irregular sleep-cycle

Delayed Sleep Type: Symptoms

• Sleepiness during desired "wake" hours of the day
• When sleeping, individuals act normally, meaning there are no irregularitie
• Waking-up times are abnormal, meaning the wake-cycle is frantic
• Periods of sleep start and stop at different times

Unspecified Type: Causes

• Caused by a sleep-wake disturbance
• Mismatched circadian rhythm is involved
• Not caused by the other 3 types
• Why have one more type of CRSD, then?
• Occurs in those who do not have a 24 hour sleep-wake cycle

Unspecified Type: Symptoms

• Individuals exhibit daytime sleepiness or insomnia
• After a recurring pattern of little or no sleep, individuals 
• lose the sense of when to wake up and when to fall asleep

HOW DO DOCTORS DIAGNOSE CRSD?

DIAGNOSING CRSD

• Patients are asked to record their sleep pattern
• Doctors look for any mismatches between sleep patterns and the circadian rhythm
• A disruption in sleep is also looked for, as it affects the mismatch
• Doctors also search for recurring patterns of disrupted sleep
• There must be a mismatch between one's circadian rhythm and the sleep pattern required in their area

HOW DOES CRSD DIFFER FROM OTHER SLEEP DISORDERS?

The sleep disorder must not be the cause of another sleep disorder. CRSD is a sleep disorder on its own, but it leads to insomnia. Also, the sleep disorder must be cause by a natural cause, not by any substances, i.e, medications used as anti-depressants or anti-anxiety treatments.

HOW CAN THEY BE TREATED?

Treatment for CRSD depends on the severity of the case. Mild cases may be addressed to schedule strict sleep/wake cycles, while severe cases require incremental changes in sleep-time. Other methods in treating CRSD includes medication and chronotherapy, a method in which the sleep cycle is delayed by 3 hours every day until it is normal in its time zone.

TREATING EACH TYPE OF CRSD

• Jet lag is ignored because the sleep pattern will be normal again in its time zone
• Shift work type includes putting imdividuals in an environment without any disruptions
• Delayed Sleep depends on the severity of CRSD
• Unspecified cannot be treated, as its causes are unknown

Prognosis of the 4 Types

Delayed Sleep

• Individuals have great difficulty changing their sleep patterns
• Difficulty maintaining those changes as well

Shift Work

• Individuals change to a "normal" work cycle
• Trouble making the constant adjustments to wake up and sleep
• After 2 weeks of a "normal" work cycle, symptoms of CRSD usually reverse

Jet Lag

• Decrease the amount of travel
• Trouble making constant adjustments to a sleep/wake cycle

Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorder?

CRSD is usually related to an environmental stressor (Long distance travel, work shifts, and sleep disrupting lifestyles), and avoidance of them can prevent CRSD from beginning or continuing. Adhering to a strict sleep/wake cycle reduces the risks of CRSD and other circadian rhythm induced problems.

Items that help prevent CRSD and CRSD related problems

There is the Sleep-Supporting Light Bulb

• Created by NASA, this lightbulb filters blue light
• Blue light is emitted by LED lights, and it stops melatonin production
• Without the blue light, this light bulb supports sleep 
• It is expensive, though, with a retail price of $60

THERE ARE ALSO SLEEP SENSORS

• Sleep sensors track one's sleep pattern
• It does so by tracking movement and analyzing sleep
• Using sleep sensors is an effective way to track sleep
• Many Doctors and CR specialists have patients use sleep sensors

Good Night!

Bibliography

Fahmi, Ali. "Mental Disorders." Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorder. Advameg, n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2014.