- Unable to fall asleep until very late no matter how tired you are
- Natural timing that works fine on weekends but collapses under school or work demands
- Shift-work or travel patterns that keep resetting sleep in the wrong direction
What this often includes
Circadian cases include delayed and advanced sleep phase disorders, irregular patterns, shift-work disorder, non-24 features, and overlap with insomnia, hypersomnia, or mood symptoms that only makes sense once timing enters the conversation.
Why it often gets mislabeled
People are often told to “just go to bed earlier,” which is only useful if the biology cooperates. When it does not, a person can look noncompliant while actually being mistimed.
How evaluation works here
The workup looks at habitual sleep timing, work or school demands, light exposure, sleep logs, behavioral patterns, substances, psychiatric overlap, and whether the sleep problem is truly circadian or a mixed picture with insomnia or sleepiness.
How treatment may look
Treatment may include light timing, schedule restructuring, melatonin timing when appropriate, behavioral changes, and targeted support for travel, shift work, or high-stakes schedules.