It is normal to feel tired occasionally due to lack of sleep or more work. But if you are consistently tired, there may be some other causes behind these. For example, there may be a lack of sleep, or your Circadian Rhythm is not in its proper order or Rhythm. So in this article, we will discuss the difference between the two and how to overcome them and become more energetic.
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Lack of Sleep vs. Disrupted Circadian Rhythm
First, let’s discuss the disrupted circadian Rhythm, the best way to find out whether you are feeling tired because of circadian Rhythm is to note down the sleep schedule on your regular days versus your sleep schedule on the weekends.
As per experts, people with disrupted circadian rhythms and who go to sleep late will find it difficult to fall asleep and wake up early in the morning if they have to go the next day early somewhere. They will feel tired. But the same people, when they get proper time to sleep on weekends, will feel more alive, energized, and fresh on weekends.
On the other hand, people with disrupted circadian rhythms and early sleep cycles are quite the opposite. These people can fall asleep at 8-9 pm and then wake up at 3-4 am the following day, but after their fixed sleep cycle, they will not be able to sleep.
Whether it is an early or a delayed sleep phase, both, if not as per your circadian rhythms, you will face tiredness all over the day. On the other hand, if we talk about sleep deprivation, it is not getting proper sleep. As per your age and body type, you need 8 hours of sleep, but you are not getting the good 8 hours of sleep, and continuously you are getting less sleep than the time. Each hour that you are not getting sleep will be counted. And these hours add up and become why you feel tired someday, even if you get the fullest of 8 hours.
How To Treat Disrupted Circadian Rhythm?
If you are feeling tired constantly, the first thing you should do is figure out the reason behind your tiredness, whether it is a lack of sleep or a disrupted circadian rhythm. You can do various sleep cycle experiments to find the main reason.
If your tiredness has nothing to do with your Circadian Rhythm, then probably it’s your sleeping hours causing you daily fatigue. So first, find the hours that make you fresh and energetic. And now, make your timetable so you can get proper sleep because even an extra hour you are not getting adequate sleep will be counted and add up.
But if you find out the main reason behind your tiredness is your disrupted Circadian Rhythm, you should first find your chronotype. Four different sleep chronotypes affect our sleep. So you should try each and find out your chronotype.
- Morning Larks – These people are early birds and feel more energetic and productive in the morning but tired and eager to go to bed in the evening, so they can’t wake up till late at night.
- Intermediate chronotype – People who don’t prefer to fall asleep early or late and adjust between the two come under this type.
- Night Owls – These people who can’t sleep before midnight find themselves more productive in the evening and feel it difficult to wake up early.
- Non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder is a rare condition where the sleep-wake cycle shifts too late, and people have a circadian rhythm of more than 24 hours. This type can cause various health issues, such as insomnia or excessive daytime sleep.
So once you have figured out your sleep chronotype, you should make the required adjustments to your sleep cycle so you can get proper sleep at the right time and feel more productive and energetic after getting adequate sleep.
However, it does not matter much if you have issues with the above two conditions. Following these principles daily, you can improve your sleep cycle.
- Go to bed and wake up at the same time daily,
- Wake up early and get natural light first to stimulate your circadian Rhythm,
- Create a solid wind-down routine.
If you follow these tips, you can control your circadian Rhythm, sleep better, and be more productive.
The bottom line is to figure out your case first, whether you are getting tiredness due to lack of sleep or a disrupted circadian rhythm. Then take action accordingly, get total sleep hours, and change your sleeping schedule. Thus you can get better sleep and make yourself more energetic and active. If our tips have helped you and you have learned something new, please share your experiences with our readers.
