Published on: 6/12/2025
What are sleep-wake disorders and how are they diagnosed?
Sleep-wake disorders affect when you sleep and wake up. They are diagnosed by looking at your sleep patterns and sometimes using special tests.
Explanation
Sleep-wake disorders, also known as circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders, happen when there is a problem with the timing of sleep. This means your body's internal clock is not in sync with the natural day-night cycle. These disorders can make you very sleepy during the day or keep you awake at night when you want to sleep.
Diagnosis
- Sleep Diary: You might be asked to keep a sleep diary to track when you sleep and wake up each day.
- Actigraphy: This is a special watch-like device that tracks your sleep patterns over several days or weeks.
- Polysomnography: In some cases, a sleep study might be done to check for other sleep issues.
If you think you have a sleep-wake disorder, it is important to talk to a doctor. They can help figure out what is going on and suggest ways to help you sleep better. For more information on mental health concerns, please visit 988lifeline.org.
(References)
- Sun SY, & Chen GH. (2022). Treatment of Circadian Rhythm Sleep-Wake Disorders. Current neuropharmacology, 34493186.
- Steele TA, St Louis EK, Videnovic A, & Auger RR. (2021). Circadian Rhythm Sleep-Wake Disorders: a Contemporary .... Neurotherapeutics : the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics, 33844152.
- Abbott SM, Reid KJ, & Zee PC. (2015). Circadian Rhythm Sleep-Wake Disorders. The Psychiatric clinics of North America, 26600110.
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