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Circadian Rhythm |
Insomnia |
Narcolepsy |
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Parasomnia |
Patient Education Materials |
Restless Leg Syndrome/Perodic Limb Movements |
Sleep Apnea |
Sleep Diary |
Sleep Hygiene |
Sleep Test |
Snoring |
Support Groups and Resources
Circadian rhythms are the body's "internal clock." They help determine a person's patterns of sleeping and waking, body temperature and more. Sunlight plays a large part in setting this internal clock. Circadian rhythms are coordinated by a place in the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus.
Some circadian rhythm disorders are caused by external factors. Travelers who cross several time zones will suffer from jet lag. Shift workers also experience sleep-cycle problems, especially if they work both day and night shifts. Other circadian rhythm disorders are influenced by internal factors such as heredity, age or depression.
Some of the more common circadian rhythm disorders treated at UT Southwestern include:
- Advanced sleep phase syndrome
- Delayed sleep phase syndrome
- Jet lag or rapid time-zone change syndrome
- Non 24-hour sleep and wake disorder
- Shift-work sleep disorder
The sleep specialists at UT Southwestern Medical Center offer a variety of treatments for circadian rhythm disorders. These include light therapy (using light to re-set the body's internal clock) and chronotherapy (altering the patient's bedtimes). Sometimes medications and behavior modifications are prescribed.
Please visit the Health Library to learn more about circadian rhythm disorders.
