06-22-2012, 12:27 AM
Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome
Delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS)is a sleep disorder where people fall asleep at very late times and have a difficult time waking in the morning. Although a common sleep disorder, phase syndrome DSPS, has no cure. DSPS can cause significant interruption in a person's daily life because they have difficulty or are unable to wake up for school, work or other activities. In short, their circadian rhythm is disrupted. Circadian rhythm is the cycle that all living beings operate on and roughly is set on a 24-hour cycle. Circadian is a Latin derivative of terms that mean "about a day". DSPS is basically a sleep rhythm disorder.
The syndrome can be treated, but physicians often mistake it for insomnia. DSPS differs from insomnia in that patients who suffer from the disorder have a fairly consistent sleep pattern while insomnia sufferers do not. People with DSPS may report that they cannot fall asleep, sometimes until early morning, but they differ from insomniacs in that insomniacs are unable to fall asleep at the same time each night. People who suffer from DSPS literally live on a different clock that other people. With this syndrome, their circadian rhythm is interrupted thus causing them to operate on a different internal clock or sleep phase.
People with this delayed sleep syndrome, unlike people with insomnia, find that they sleep well when they are allowed to sleep according to their own sleep patterns. Insomniacs have trouble sleeping any time. If a person with DSPS is allowed to sleep according to his or her own internal clock, sleep comes easy and the person wakes refreshed and well rested. Insomniacs do not experience this. People with delayed sleep phase syndrome are "night owls". They often claim to function best at night. People with DSPS usually first experience the disorder in adolescence, childhood or even infancy. Doctors and parents may refer to this as the child "getting his days and nights mixed up". DSPS sufferers may report that they experience periods of time where they are able to fall asleep at normal times.
The syndrome can be treated, but physicians often mistake it for insomnia. DSPS differs from insomnia in that patients who suffer from the disorder have a fairly consistent sleep pattern while insomnia sufferers do not. People with DSPS may report that they cannot fall asleep, sometimes until early morning, but they differ from insomniacs in that insomniacs are unable to fall asleep at the same time each night. People who suffer from DSPS literally live on a different clock that other people. With this syndrome, their circadian rhythm is interrupted thus causing them to operate on a different internal clock or sleep phase.
People with this delayed sleep syndrome, unlike people with insomnia, find that they sleep well when they are allowed to sleep according to their own sleep patterns. Insomniacs have trouble sleeping any time. If a person with DSPS is allowed to sleep according to his or her own internal clock, sleep comes easy and the person wakes refreshed and well rested. Insomniacs do not experience this. People with delayed sleep phase syndrome are "night owls". They often claim to function best at night. People with DSPS usually first experience the disorder in adolescence, childhood or even infancy. Doctors and parents may refer to this as the child "getting his days and nights mixed up". DSPS sufferers may report that they experience periods of time where they are able to fall asleep at normal times.
