You often find yourself tired and restless because of sleepless night. There are many myths that circulate in the society about sleep problems. But you should always know about your body’s internal mechanism of sleep. Your sleep is controlled by the circadian rhythm. It controls your sleep by natural light and darkness signals transferred by your retina. Pineal gland is responsible for secreting hormone known as melatonin which creates sleep in our body. So if you are having sleepless night, you may be suffering from circadian rhythm sleep disorder. You should note down your symptoms and maintain a sleep diary to know your sleep issues and consult a doctor about it.
How Does Your Circadian Rhythm Works?
Your body’s sleep mechanism can be compared to an orchestra. The main maestro is the suprachiasmatic nucleus commonly known as SCN controls and guides all the other related sleep processes inside the brain. Hypothalamus is responsible for receiving light signals from the optic nerves connected with your retina. Often the function of the SCN gets disrupted when it does not interact with natural light visual signals. Upon this circumstance, melatonin release if often delayed or at time not secreted properly hence making your body suffers with circadian rhythm sleep disorder.
Negative Impacts Of Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorder On Your Body
Lack of sleep and sleep disorders have often been seen as a hindrance to a good health. Often when our body does not get the required amount of sleep, it makes us feel drowsy throughout the day. It also decreases your potentiality to work and make you addicted to naps at work and fatigue. Recent studies have also shown that people suffering with circadian rhythm sleep disorder often risk themselves to heart diseases and obesity. Sleeplessness also gives potential rise to diabetes. The genetic change in the release of melatonin also boosts diabetes, so taking proper care of your sleep issues is a must.
Importance Of Maintaining A Proper Sleep Schedule
Sleep schedule is a very important thing that you should maintain to avoid circadian rhythm sleep disorders. As light plays an important role and manifests our biological clock functions, give at least 15 minutes of sunlight to your body every day. Dairy products are good so always drink a glass of milk before you go to sleep. Try to keep your bedroom a little airy and dark so that you get to sleep in a comfortable environment. If you are not able to get sleep at night, insist yourself on doing a boring job that intrigues sleep and you would be able to get sleep at a very short notice.
Maintain A Good Sleep Behavior To Cure CRSD
Shift work sleep disorder, jet lag are also among the few common type of circadian rhythm sleep disorder. The main thing here is maintaining a proper sleep schedule to tune up your disrupted sleep cycle. It does not happen in a day and it takes time for its proper functioning so having patience is very ideal thing. There is no specific medication that could be given but doctors always insist on giving you sleep education and recommends good sleep behavior. So plan your sleep and not sleep plan your body.
