When we consistently sleep as we should, our body functions normally in terms of brain wave activity, hormone production, cell regeneration, and other biological activities. However, when our sleep schedule is out of sync with the environment, our biological clock is disrupted and that has been linked to a variety of health issues:
- Cardiovascular problems
- Obesity
- Predisposition to diabetes
- Depression
- Poor psychomotor coordination
- Poor concentration and cognitive skills
- Gastrointestinal distress
- Headaches
- Forgetfulness
- Decreased motivation
Continually disrupted sleep, and by association a disrupted circadian rhythm, can have different causes. Some are extrinsic, meaning they’re caused by the environment or our lifestyle — jet lag, working night shifts, stress, and keeping long and irregular hours. There are also intrinsic factors, and these very often relate to the timing of sleep. Some might fall asleep too early — that’s called Advanced Sleep Phase Disorder (ASPD). People with ASPD want to go to bed very early, possibly as early as 6 or 7 pm, but then wake up as early as 2 or 3 am. Others can’t fall asleep until very late (Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder, or DPSD), and while they might prefer to wake up later, schedules and daylight will get in their way. And so they will feel tired for a good part of the day, but still they can’t fall asleep earlier the next night.
