Two Common Circadian Rhythm Disorders
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Two Common Circadian Rhythm Disorders
Sleep-wake reversal causes your circadian rhythm, or internal clock, to be off. Two common circadian rhythm disorders are seasonal affective disorder and depression.
Seasonal affective disorder (also called SAD) is a type of depression that follows the seasons. The most common type of SAD is called winter depression. It usually begins in late fall or early winter and goes away by summer. A less common type of SAD, known as summer depression, usually begins in the late spring or early summer. It goes away by winter. SAD may be related to changes in the amount of daylight during different times of the year. Insomnia and fatigue are symptoms of this disorder.
Depression is a mood disorder that is characterized by sadness, or having the blues. Nearly everyone feels sad or down from time to time. Sometimes, however, the sad feelings become intense, last for long periods, and keep a person from leading a normal life.
An inability to sleep, or insomnia, is one of the signs of depression. (a small percentage of depressed people, approximately 15 percent, oversleep, or sleep too much.) Lack of sleep alone cannot cause depression, but it does play a role. Lack of sleep caused by another medical illness or by personal problems can make depression worse. An inability to sleep that lasts over a long period of time is also an important clue that someone may be depressed.
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