Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder: A Primer
This is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
Delayed sleep phase disorder (DSPD), a.k.a. delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS) or delayed sleep-wake phase disorder (DSWPD), is a primarily genetic condition where one naturally falls asleep and wakes up later.
There is no scientific consensus on how common DSPD is. It is much more common in adolescents, probably because of puberty.
Another excuse for those lazy millennials; just go to bed earlier!
Well, that’s not really possible, thanks to…
The Circadian Rhythm
One can think of sleep as a two-process model. “Process S” is homeostatic sleep pressure; that is, the longer you stay awake, the more sleepy you get. We don’t really know how this works, but there is a lot of focus on adenosine as a major factor, which explains why caffeine keeps you awake.
Looking at the chart above, you can see that if a person stay up the whole night, the homeostatic sleep pressure will cause them to more easier fall asleep and sleep for longer.
