Q: Whom should I consult if I am suffering from circadian rhythm sleep disorders?
A: You can consult a sleep specialist or a general physician.
Q: For a night shift worker what is the best way to fulfill sleep needs?
A: The aim here should be to get the required amount of sleep. To achieve this one will have to “create” their own day and night routines with respect to the work and adhere to them strictly. The “day” here is the time of work hence this should be kept bright with a lot of activity and exercise. “Night” being the time off from work and this should mean keeping the room dark with no or minimum noise so that one can sleep undisturbed. This routine should be followed even on the days off from work.
Q: I am a shift worker and often fall asleep while working. I cannot sleep during the day and it is creating problems. I don’t know what to do.
A: As it was mentioned before the trick is to get adequate sleep. If you are keen on working at night, first develop a positive attitude. Many great inventions and artistic creations have been developed burning the midnight oil. Follow a specific routine. Try to keep yourself alert at night by taking short breaks from work and exercising. In your time off from work get the required amount of sleep. If in spite of repeated attempts you are not able to adapt to your work, the only option left is to leave shift work.
Q: How are circadian rhythms studied?
A: Humans or model organisms that have similar “clock” genes are used to study circadian rhythms. The researchers control the subject’s environment by altering light and dark periods to look for changes in gene activity.
Q: Will studying about circadian rhythm contribute to human health?
A: Learning about biological clocks helps in the treatment for sleep disorders and learning about the genes responsible helps in understanding the biological systems in the human body.
