Circadian Sleep Clinic Helps Reset the Body Clock
Scripps specialists treat sleep-wake disorders with tailored care
Scripps specialists treat sleep-wake disorders with tailored care
Nearly everyone experiences a sleepless night once in a while. But for those with a circadian sleep disorder, being well-rested can feel out of reach.
A circadian sleep disorder occurs when a person’s internal clock doesn’t align with their desired or socially required sleep schedule. This can significantly impact quality of life, mental health and physical well-being.
The Scripps Circadian Sleep Disorders Clinic, launched in 2019, was the first of its kind in the state. Its specialists diagnose and treat conditions like delayed sleep phase disorder, shift work sleep disorder and non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder. Many patients have spent years — or even decades — thinking there was no hope for their sleep behavior. A solution can be life changing.
“Every living being has a circadian rhythm, which in humans, is generated by a circadian clock in the brain that controls the time of sleep and the time of wakefulness,” explains Shazia Jamil, MD, a pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine specialist at Scripps Clinic and director of the Scripps Circadian Sleep Disorders Clinic.
Why some people can’t fall asleep on schedule
Normally, the pineal gland will start to produce the sleep neurotransmitter melatonin two to three hours before we start to feel sleepy, but for people with a class of circadian sleep disorders, that gets delayed to five to six hours.
“These people are tremendously sleep-deprived,” Dr. Jamil says. “And chronic sleep deprivation can lead to diabetes, mental health issues, heart disease and weakened immunity.”
Common types of sleep circadian sleep disorders
The most common circadian sleep disorder is delayed sleep phase syndrome or night owl syndrome. People with this condition are unable to fall asleep at their preferred bedtime despite doing all the right things, says Derek Loewy, PhD, clinical psychologist and sleep medicine specialist at Scripps Clinic. Another common disorder is the opposite problem: the extreme morning people.
“If a person wants to initiate sleep at night and wake up the following day to meet certain obligations, but their body clock is out of alignment, that can be very challenging,” he says. “There’s an accumulation of sleep debt, so they are much more susceptible to the longer-term effects of sleep deprivation.”
Treatment options for circadian sleep disorders
Both Dr. Jamil and Dr. Loewy stress that a circadian sleep disorder is not a disease and can be treated. Their work builds on that of their mentor, Daniel Kripke, MD, a former psychiatrist with Scripps Clinic Viterbi Family Sleep Center and renowned circadian sleep researcher.
“We learned a lot from him about how to treat these conditions with melatonin and bright light therapy, which are the two major interventions for circadian rhythm disorders,” says Dr. Loewy. “There are a lot of nuances to it — it’s not one-size-fits-all.”
Scripps Clinic sleep specialists also work with researchers from prestigious institutions around the country to share insights on how to properly address circadian sleep disorders.
This content appeared in San Diego Health, a publication in partnership between Scripps and San Diego Magazine that celebrates the healthy spirit of San Diego.