Circadian rhythm disorder refers to the disruption of a biological clock that regulates the sleep-wake cycle of a person. This disorder is more prevalent in people that work night shifts or have a sleep-wake routine that is often disturbed.

A study showed that about 10% of adults suffer from this disorder, and this could lead to several mental health issues.

What is Circadian Rhythm Disorder?

Circadian rhythm disorder could be a result of several triggers, including jet lag, shift work or staying awake all night. The disorder could lead to a person feeling fatigued during daytime, leading to a dip in productivity levels or mood swings.

A disrupted sleep-wake cycle could also lead to insomnia, a sleep disorder that results in a person being unable to fall asleep or remain asleep for long periods.

Types of Circadian Rhythm Disorder

Delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS) refers to a condition where a person’s natural sleep time is delayed by a few hours. This disorder is common in teenagers and could lead to difficulty waking up in the morning.

Advanced sleep phase syndrome (ASPS), on the other hand, affects older adults and causes them to fall asleep earlier in the night and wake up earlier in the morning.

Irregular sleep-wake rhythm could occur in people that do not follow any set sleep-wake pattern, such as people with Alzheimer’s disease or mental retardation.

Jet lag is a temporary condition that occurs when a person travels across several time zones.

How does Circadian Rhythm Disorder affect Mental Health?

Several studies have shown that circadian rhythm disorder could cause depression, anxiety, and even bipolar disorder.

A study concluded that about 69% of bipolar patients had a disrupted sleep-wake cycle, and sleep deprivation could trigger mania or hypomania episodes in bipolar patients.

Depression could also be linked to circadian rhythm disorder. A study showed that depression patients had higher levels of cortisol, a hormone that is secreted during stress and could lead to sleep disturbances.

An irregular sleep-wake rhythm could cause an increase in cortisol levels, leading to a higher risk of depression.

People with anxiety disorders could experience more severe symptoms with disrupted sleep-wake cycles.

A study involving people with generalized anxiety disorder showed that the patients had an increased risk of insomnia and had higher levels of cytokines, inflammatory molecules that cause an immune response.

Treatment

Several treatment options are available for circadian rhythm disorder, including light therapy, melatonin supplements, and cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Light therapy involves the use of bright light to regulate the sleep-wake cycle, while melatonin supplements are synthetic hormones that regulate sleep cycles. Cognitive-behavioral therapy involves changing habits that could be causing the disorder and could help improve sleep quality.

Conclusion

Circadian rhythm disorder is a common sleep disorder that could cause several mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. Treatment options are available to regulate sleep-wake cycles and improve mental health symptoms.

Early diagnosis and treatment could help reduce the risk of long-term mental health effects.