Yeditepe University Chest Diseases Specialist Prof. Dr. Banu M. Salepçi stated that the cause of unexplained insomnia or long sleep may be a circadian rhythm disorder.
Explaining that the circadian rhythm is related to many physiological systems that affect falling asleep, waking up and staying awake during the day, Prof. Dr. Banu M. Salepçi gave the following information on the subject:
“The circadian rhythm is closely related to light-darkness, body temperature, melatonin secretion, cortisol level in the blood and appetite. With the darkening of the day, the increase in sleep (S) substance and melatonin secretion accumulated in the body throughout the day initiates sleep. After the first half of sleep, the secretion of sleep substance and melatonin begins to decrease, and with the emergence of light, the light-sensing receptors in the retina of the eye are stimulated, and awakening occurs in the morning. The circadian rhythm continues in a certain order for 24 hours.
Many factors such as night dark – morning light hours, one's own biological clock, genetic differences, physical activities, working hours, social life and other environmental factors affect this rhythm. Due to genetic differences, different responses of the circadian system to light may lead to delayed sleep-wake or early sleep-wake rhythms. However, advancing age is also one of the factors in the increase of circadian rhythm disorders. The emergence of irregular sleep-wake, dementia and neurological disorders in advanced ages plays a role in the deterioration of the circadian rhythm. While 1/3 of the visually impaired have a normal circadian rhythm, the 2-hour rhythm shifts earlier or later in the remaining 3/24.”
Stating that in addition to personal factors, environmental factors such as shift work or difficult working conditions can disrupt the circadian rhythm, Prof. Dr. Banu Musaffa Salepçi conveyed the following information:
“Due to working conditions, the circadian rhythm is disrupted in people who work at night, and sleepiness due to the increase in sleep substance and melatonin at night, and the body being on the alert for wakefulness in the daytime causes insomnia. Difficult working conditions, such as working late at night and having to get up early in the morning, also lead to disruption of the circadian rhythm.
The circadian rhythm is disrupted in jet lag syndrome, especially after long plane journeys. When traveling to regions with serious time differences such as America or the Far East, the harmony of sleep-wake time with the biological clock is disturbed. The rearrangement of the circadian rhythm takes 2-3 days when traveling from east to west, but may take longer 7-8 days when traveling from west to east.
Insomnia is the main symptom of psychiatric diseases such as depression, bipolar disease, anxiety disorder, and sleep problems also lead to fatigue, weakness and depression. As a result, insomnia can be the result of depression and fatigue as well as the cause," he said.
Stating that sleep hygiene should be provided to regulate sleep, Prof. Dr. Banu M. Salepçi listed her suggestions on the subject as follows:
“Using a computer, phone, tablet just before going to bed suppresses the secretion of melatonin, which initiates sleep, and causes sleep delay (circadian rhythm shift). Therefore, the use of these devices should be stopped a few hours before going to bed.
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