What Is Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome?

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Symptoms

Impact

Causes

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Treatment

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Are you more of a night owl than a morning person? Do you have trouble falling asleep until late? Is waking up early a struggle? Are early morning classes, meetings, or activities hard for you? If so, you may have delayed sleep phase syndrome.

Delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS) is acircadian rhythm sleep disorderthat can cause your sleep-time and wake-time to be much later than most people’s.

This condition occurs due to a delay in the timing of your internal body clock, or circadian rhythm, compared to traditional sleep and wake timings.

Delayed sleep phase syndrome typically emerges during puberty and affects teenagers, although it can sometimes persist into adulthood as well.If you think you may have this condition, you’re not alone. It is estimated that it affects up to 16% of adolescents and 3% of adults.

This article explores the symptoms, causes, impact, diagnosis, and treatment of delayed sleep phase syndrome.

Symptoms of Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome

These are some of the symptoms of delayed sleep phase syndrome:

These physical symptoms can have unpleasant consequences. For instance, not being able to wake up on time can cause you to get into trouble with your parents, school authorities, and employers. Furthermore, sleeping in until late morning or afternoon can cause people to mistakenly assume that you’re lazy or useless without understanding that this is something beyond your control.

Impact of Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome

Delayed sleep phase syndrome can lead tochronic sleep deprivation, which can impact your health and your quality of life in many ways.

Impact on Physical Health

Sleep deprivation can take a toll on your physical health and raise your risk of developing health conditions such as:

Sleep deprivation can also raise your risk of injuries, or even death, due to falls, workplace accidents, or car crashes.

Impact on Mental Health

Not getting enough sleep can also affect yourmental healthand lead to symptoms such as:

A 2018 review notes that there is a significant link between delayed sleep phase syndrome and mental health conditions—up to 70% of people with delayed sleep phase syndrome have a psychiatric disorder, such as depression or bipolar disorder.

Impact on Quality of Life

Symptoms of delayed sleep phase syndrome, such as sleep deprivation, daytime sleepiness, and chronicfatigue, can make it difficult for you to function and cause you to experience negative consequences such as:

A 2014 review notes that someone who had delayed sleep phase syndrome as a teenager may still experience negative consequences well into adulthood, even if they don’t have the condition anymore.

Causes of Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome

These are some of the potential causes of delayed sleep phase syndrome:

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Diagnosing Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome

If you suspect you or a loved one may have delayed sleep phase syndrome, you should see a sleep specialist. Your primary care provider can provide a referral if you need it.

The diagnostic process may involve the following steps:

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Treating Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome

These are some treatment and coping strategies for delayed sleep phase syndrome:

Delayed sleep phase disorder can make it hard for you to get enough sleep on most days, which can affect your health, safety, and well-being. Taking steps to treat the condition andreset your body clockcan help improve your health, your performance at work/school, and your social and family life.

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9 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Micic G, Lovato N, Gradisar M, Ferguson SA, Burgess HJ, Lack LC.The etiology of delayed sleep phase disorder.Sleep Med Rev. 2016;27:29-38. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2015.06.004Reis C, Paiva T.Delayed sleep-wake phase disorder in a clinical population: gender and sub-population differences.Sleep Sci. 2019;12(3):203-213. doi:10.5935/1984-0063.20190086Sivertsen B, Pallesen S, Stormark KM, Bøe T, Lundervold AJ, Hysing M.Delayed sleep phase syndrome in adolescents: prevalence and correlates in a large population-based study.BMC Public Health. 2013;13:1163. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-13-1163Boivin DB.Treating delayed sleep-wake phase disorder in young adults.J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2017;42(5):E9-E10. doi:10.1503/jpn.160243Gradisar M, Crowley SJ.Delayed sleep phase disorder in youth.Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2013;26(6):580-585. doi:10.1097/YCO.0b013e328365a1d4National Institutes of Health.Sleep deprivation and deficiency.Reid KJ, Jaksa AA, Eisengart JB, et al.Systematic evaluation of Axis-I DSM diagnoses in delayed sleep phase disorder and evening-type circadian preference.Sleep Med2012;13:1171-7. doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2012.06.024American Thoracic Society.Delayed sleep phase syndrome.National Institutes of Health.Circadian rhythm disorders—Diagnosis.

9 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Micic G, Lovato N, Gradisar M, Ferguson SA, Burgess HJ, Lack LC.The etiology of delayed sleep phase disorder.Sleep Med Rev. 2016;27:29-38. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2015.06.004Reis C, Paiva T.Delayed sleep-wake phase disorder in a clinical population: gender and sub-population differences.Sleep Sci. 2019;12(3):203-213. doi:10.5935/1984-0063.20190086Sivertsen B, Pallesen S, Stormark KM, Bøe T, Lundervold AJ, Hysing M.Delayed sleep phase syndrome in adolescents: prevalence and correlates in a large population-based study.BMC Public Health. 2013;13:1163. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-13-1163Boivin DB.Treating delayed sleep-wake phase disorder in young adults.J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2017;42(5):E9-E10. doi:10.1503/jpn.160243Gradisar M, Crowley SJ.Delayed sleep phase disorder in youth.Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2013;26(6):580-585. doi:10.1097/YCO.0b013e328365a1d4National Institutes of Health.Sleep deprivation and deficiency.Reid KJ, Jaksa AA, Eisengart JB, et al.Systematic evaluation of Axis-I DSM diagnoses in delayed sleep phase disorder and evening-type circadian preference.Sleep Med2012;13:1171-7. doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2012.06.024American Thoracic Society.Delayed sleep phase syndrome.National Institutes of Health.Circadian rhythm disorders—Diagnosis.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Micic G, Lovato N, Gradisar M, Ferguson SA, Burgess HJ, Lack LC.The etiology of delayed sleep phase disorder.Sleep Med Rev. 2016;27:29-38. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2015.06.004Reis C, Paiva T.Delayed sleep-wake phase disorder in a clinical population: gender and sub-population differences.Sleep Sci. 2019;12(3):203-213. doi:10.5935/1984-0063.20190086Sivertsen B, Pallesen S, Stormark KM, Bøe T, Lundervold AJ, Hysing M.Delayed sleep phase syndrome in adolescents: prevalence and correlates in a large population-based study.BMC Public Health. 2013;13:1163. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-13-1163Boivin DB.Treating delayed sleep-wake phase disorder in young adults.J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2017;42(5):E9-E10. doi:10.1503/jpn.160243Gradisar M, Crowley SJ.Delayed sleep phase disorder in youth.Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2013;26(6):580-585. doi:10.1097/YCO.0b013e328365a1d4National Institutes of Health.Sleep deprivation and deficiency.Reid KJ, Jaksa AA, Eisengart JB, et al.Systematic evaluation of Axis-I DSM diagnoses in delayed sleep phase disorder and evening-type circadian preference.Sleep Med2012;13:1171-7. doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2012.06.024American Thoracic Society.Delayed sleep phase syndrome.National Institutes of Health.Circadian rhythm disorders—Diagnosis.

Micic G, Lovato N, Gradisar M, Ferguson SA, Burgess HJ, Lack LC.The etiology of delayed sleep phase disorder.Sleep Med Rev. 2016;27:29-38. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2015.06.004

Reis C, Paiva T.Delayed sleep-wake phase disorder in a clinical population: gender and sub-population differences.Sleep Sci. 2019;12(3):203-213. doi:10.5935/1984-0063.20190086

Sivertsen B, Pallesen S, Stormark KM, Bøe T, Lundervold AJ, Hysing M.Delayed sleep phase syndrome in adolescents: prevalence and correlates in a large population-based study.BMC Public Health. 2013;13:1163. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-13-1163

Boivin DB.Treating delayed sleep-wake phase disorder in young adults.J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2017;42(5):E9-E10. doi:10.1503/jpn.160243

Gradisar M, Crowley SJ.Delayed sleep phase disorder in youth.Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2013;26(6):580-585. doi:10.1097/YCO.0b013e328365a1d4

National Institutes of Health.Sleep deprivation and deficiency.

Reid KJ, Jaksa AA, Eisengart JB, et al.Systematic evaluation of Axis-I DSM diagnoses in delayed sleep phase disorder and evening-type circadian preference.Sleep Med2012;13:1171-7. doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2012.06.024

American Thoracic Society.Delayed sleep phase syndrome.

National Institutes of Health.Circadian rhythm disorders—Diagnosis.

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