What can I do about my disrupted sleep cycle that's leaving me exhausted?

Doctor's Answer

There are two conditions that come to my mind immediately.

The first is that of delayed sleep phase syndrome, which is a form of circadian rhythm disorder that is commonly seen in young people. They tend to sleep late and wake up late. This is because their biological clock is out of sync with the outside world. What you can do to re-entrain your biological clock is to get exposure to sunlight in the morning, like 7 am or so. Go for a walk in the park and get exposure to light.

There is no need to stare at the sun as that will cause damage to the eyes. The sunlight will send a strong message to your brain, telling your brain that it is daytime and that you need to be awake and fully alert. Many studies have demonstrated that exposure to sunlight in the early hours of the morning will enable the brain to release melatonin at night at an earlier time, which will then bring forward your sleeping time. Some doctors may also recommend that you get your bright light exposure from an artificial source, like a light box.

The other condition that came to my mind is that of anxiety. Many individuals with anxiety problems report that they cannot initiate sleep at night. Many of our local students experience stress from their academic pursuits and report having anxiety symptoms like insomnia, tension, irritability, palpitations, aches and pains.

Do seek help from a mental health professional early so that your problems can be evaluated and treated. Do take good care of your sleep. Cheers!

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