

The later the lights are on, the later the body clock will signal for alertness.

The role of light is important in the development of this disorder since light “pushes sleep”. For example, having a consistent nightly routine of showering, changing into pajamas, brushing teeth, and then going to bed. How can I start sleeping at an earlier time? Nightly routineĭeveloping good habits before bedtime, called sleep hygiene, helps signal your body when it is time to rest and prepares you for a good night’s sleep. Thus, DSPS becomes problematic only when a child must show up to school or work on time and just cannot. It seems to be worse lately due to the pandemic, as online school may allow for a later start. DSPS often develops over the summer months when kids tend to sleep in. Their quality of sleep is otherwise normal.Ībout 9-10% of teenagers develop this problem. Teens with DSPS often do not fall asleep until hours after midnight and, when allowed, sleep in until well after noon (typically on the weekends). What is delayed sleep phase syndrome?ĭelayed sleep phase syndrome is a circadian rhythm disorder - a condition which shifts the normal sleeping pattern beyond what is considered normal. It is likely that he or she has delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS). As sleep specialists, we see this in our clinic often - a teenager is difficult to rouse in the morning, drags through most of the day, and yet, despite the evident exhaustion, has a great deal of difficulty falling asleep until hours after midnight.
