Delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS) is a disorder of sleep timing. People with DSPS tend to fall asleep at very late times, and will subsequently sleep later in the day having difficulty waking up in time for normal work, school, or social needs.
What causes DSPS?
The exact cause of DSPS is not known, but the disorder is related to circadian rhythms, which regulate the internal biological clock and influence functions such as sleep-wake patterns. DSPS can occur in people who have experienced head trauma or serious illnesses. In these cases, the body's natural healing process might disrupt normal circadian rhythm and leave the biological clock unable to reset itself. Many teenagers tend to have delayed sleep phase but often grow out of it.
What are the symptoms of DSPS?
DSPS is characterized by the inability to fall asleep before early morning (for example, midnight to 3 a.m.) and difficulty waking in the morning. Usually, people who have DSPS can fall asleep when the body signals that it is time. Sleepiness does not usually occur before this delayed period. If a person tries to force the body into a particular phase, symptoms such as excessive daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and altered eating habits might develop.
How is DSPS treated?
DSPS treatments are meant to adjust a person’s circadian rhythm and sleep pattern. The goal of treatment is to fit a person’s sleep pattern into a schedule that can allow the person to meet the demands of a desired lifestyle. Treatment is meant to allow the person with DSPS to wake up at a given time feeling refreshed and functional. People receiving treatment gradually adjust to an earlier bedtime with sleep therapy. This therapy usually combines proper sleep hygiene practice and external stimulus therapy such as bright light therapy and chronotherapy. Chronotherapy is a behavioral technique in which bedtime is systematically adjusted. Bright-light therapy is designed to reset a person’s circadian rhythm to the desired pattern. When combined, these therapies might produce significant results in people with DSPS. Patients can also be treated with one medicine that puts them to sleep earlier in the evening and another medicine that helps wake them up in the morning, but this form of treatment is usually used only in extreme cases.
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