The human body can be a mysterious place at the best of times, let alone when you start to dive in to the weird and wonderful world of circadian rhythm.

Also known as your body’s internal clock, your circadian rhythm plays a role in everything from how energised you feel in the morning to how prepared your digestive system is to process food.

When your circadian rhythm is functioning properly, you’re more likely to sleep well, experience minimal digestive discomfort and feel energised throughout the day. But when your circadian rhythm is disrupted – ie when your body’s internal clock is out of sync with your environment – it can lead to a whole host of uncomfortable symptoms.

Below, we explore some of the factors that can lead to circadian rhythm disruption, as well as some of the common signs and symptoms to look out for.  

There are many factors which can lead to a disrupted circadian rhythm, the most common being seasonal light changes – for example, when it gets dark early during the winter – and jet lag.

“Many of us will have experienced disruption to our circadian rhythm when we travel abroad for holiday, often characterised by falling asleep at weird hours,” explains Theresa Schnorbach, Emma’s sleep scientist. “However, the impact of jet lag usually doesn’t last too long and can be managed fairly easily.”

On the other hand, some circadian rhythm disruptions can occur over longer periods of time. These disruptions typically have more of an adverse effect on the body.

Other factors that can contribute to circadian rhythm disruptions include:

• Shift work
• Pregnancy
• A change in your sleep routine, like waking up early or staying up late for two or three days in a row
• Menopause
• Health conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease
• Partial or total blindness
• ADHD 

1. Excessive daytime sleepiness

One of the most prevalent symptoms of a disrupted circadian rhythm is excessive daytime sleepiness – ie feeling tired during times of the day when you would expect to feel awake and alert.

2. Finding it hard to sleep at night

On the other hand, circadian rhythm disruption can make you feel awake and energised at night, making it harder for you to fall asleep. This is because your circadian rhythm is responsible for controlling the levels of melatonin (the sleep hormone) and cortisol (the stress hormone) in your body. Circadian rhythm disruption can lead to your cortisol levels being too high at night, which makes it harder to sleep.

3. Feeling depressed or anxious

The sleep disruptions and emotional strain of circadian rhythm disruption can take its toll on your mental health. 

“Just like diet and exercise, sleep is a key pillar of health, so sleep issues such as those caused by circadian rhythm disruption will have a knock-on impact on both your physical and mental health,” Schnorbach says. 

“Multiple studies have linked lack of sleep to mental health problems such as depression and anxiety.”

4. Struggling to concentrate

Regular, good-quality sleep is incredibly important for your brain health, so long-term disruptions to your circadian rhythm can have a cognitive impact.

“Poor sleep will make it harder for your brain to absorb and process information, making it harder for you to concentrate and more likely to make mistakes in even simple tasks,” Schnorbach explains.

5. Finding it hard to function

Not getting enough sleep can take its toll on many aspects of your daily functioning, Schnorbach adds.

“When we are deprived of sleep, we get less of the early stages of sleep that are also restorative; the stage of sleep that helps improve your memory, learning, reaction time and logistical reasoning, as well as allowing you to approach the rest of your day from a fresh perspective,” she says.

“Sleep deprivation has been found to reduce the sensitivity of receptors and communication between brain regions, ultimately changing the make-up of the brain.”

If you’re keen to learn more about how to look after your circadian rhythm, you can check out our guide to resetting your body clock. 

Images: Getty