Always Feel Sleepy During the Day or Wired at Bedtime? You May Be Dealing with Circadian Misalignment

You know that feeling when you’re exhausted but somehow wide awake late at night, and even counting sheep won’t help you fall asleep? Or when you wake up after what should have been a full night’s sleep feeling like you could sleep for another 12 hours? These are all signs that your body's natural sleep-wake cycle may be out of whack.

If this sounds familiar, you might be dealing with something called circadian misalignment. This sleep condition starts from a variety of reasons, including jet lag, working night shifts, daylight saving time, or simply poor sleep habits. And, unfortunately, it can wreak havoc on your overall health and well-being, leaving you tired, foggy, and irritable, among other consequences. 

What Is Circadian Misalignment? 

Circadian misalignment happens when your body’s internal clock is not in sync with your external environment, especially in terms of your sleep-wake cycle. 

Your body follows a roughly 24-hour cycle of physiological processes, which affect a wide range of functions, including your sleep patterns. And when your body can’t sync your sleep-wake cycle with cues from your environment (such as when it gets light or dark out or when you eat), things can get thrown off, explains the National Institutes of Health.  

“Imagine [circadian misalignment] like running your daily schedule, where everything is happening at the wrong time—like dropping your kids off at school late or taking a lunch break at the wrong time,” says Dylan Petkus, MD, an expert in sleep apnea, snoring, insomnia, and other related sleep issues. It would throw your entire day off. 

Inside your body, things like sleep patterns, hormone production, and metabolism follow similar schedules, he explains. “About 70 percent of biological processes depend on proper circadian timing, so when things are misaligned, problems build up quickly, like a domino effect,” Dr. Petkus says. “For example, your body might try to rev up your metabolism or produce certain hormones at the wrong times, which throws everything off. This causes miscommunication between different processes in the body, often leading to inflammation and other issues.” 

Possible Causes of Circadian Misalignment

So what causes our body’s internal clock to get so thrown out of whack? There are a host of possible factors that can contribute to circadian misalignment, including light exposure, time changes, lifestyle choices, working hours, and even your weekend plans. 

1. Artificial Light After Sunset

This probably isn’t surprising, but the blue light from your phone can disrupt your natural sleep schedule. This kind of artificial light after sunset is one of the worst offenders of circadian misalignment, Dr. Petkus says. “It’s like telling your brain it's noon when it’s actually 8 or 9 PM, which creates a huge problem,” he says. “Your body’s systems get confused about what time it actually is.” 

But it’s not just your cell phone that can have these negative consequences: Tablets, computers, and TVs are all problematic when your body is trying to wind down. 

“The invention of artificial light, and more recently screens, have resulted in people staying awake well past sunset, and often well past midnight,” adds Alex Dimitriu, MD, a double board-certified expert in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. “Having to go to school or work in the morning can then result in not getting enough sleep on weekdays, and sleeping in on weekends to catch up on missed sleep, which is not ideal.” 

2. Travel Across Time Zones

You may be excited to hit the ground running the next time you have a cross-country flight, but that doesn’t mean your body is up to the task. When you fly from New York to Los Angeles, for example, your body will still be operating on New York time, but the signals from the environment in Los Angeles—especially light—tell it otherwise, Dr. Petkus says. That’s why you’ll likely be ready for bed before dinner or wake up well before your alarm sounds the next morning. 

3. Daylight Saving Time

Parents dread daylight saving time for a reason: The simple one-hour switch has the ability to completely throw off your circadian rhythm within a 24-hour period, potentially wreaking havoc on delicate sleep schedules. “When the clock shifts by just one hour, your body’s internal schedule for things like meals, sleep, and even light exposure gets disrupted,” Dr. Petkus says. 

4. Shift Work

People who work shifts that rotate or change frequently—such as nurses and doctors, civil servants like police and firemen, or 24-hour-store clerks—are more likely to experience circadian misalignment. That’s because their bodies’ natural sleep-wake cycle is constantly being disrupted. 

Not to mention, these individuals may work longer hours, which can also affect their ability to develop a regular sleep schedule. They’re also frequently exposed to artificial light at night, which can interfere with the production of melatonin, a sleep hormone. 

5. Social Jet Lag

Interestingly, a rare but growing contributor to circadian misalignment is social jet lag, where people’s weekend sleep schedules differ significantly from their workweek schedule. For example, that might look like faithfully going to bed at 10 PM and waking at 6 AM on weekdays, then staying up until 1 AM and sleeping in until 10 or 11 AM on the weekends, which can lead to a type of self-induced circadian disruption. This is especially common in those who try to “catch up” on sleep during weekends but find themselves groggy and tired come Monday.

Common Symptoms of Circadian Misalignment

Circadian misalignment not only leads to more feelings of fatigue, but it can also have a significant impact on a person’s overall health and well-being. Some potential signs you may be suffering from circadian misalignment include: 

1. Difficulty Falling Asleep or Waking up at Odd Hours

“It’s pretty easy to tell if you’re experiencing circadian misalignment, because your sleep is usually the first thing to go wrong,” Dr. Petkus says. “If your sleep is unrefreshing, if you’re having trouble falling asleep, or waking up frequently, that’s a sign something’s off.” 

2. Brain Fog or Constant Fatigue

One of the most important jobs your circadian rhythm has is producing melatonin, Dr. Petkus says. If your body isn’t producing enough melatonin at the right time, you’ll end up with poorer sleep, leading to issues like brain fog or fatigue the next day—even after what seems like a full night’s rest.

3. An Afternoon Energy Dip

“A significant dip in energy in the afternoon is often a hallmark of not getting enough sleep,” Dr. Dimitriu says. Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep; getting less sleep than you need could cause a disturbance to your circadian rhythm. 

4. Irritability

A lack of sleep or feelings of fogginess throughout the day caused by circadian misalignment can also affect your mood, Dr. Petkus says. Over the course of four days, researchers observed increasingly negative moods among both shift workers and non-shift workers who were under circadian misalignment, according to a 2020 study published in Scientific Reports.

5. Changes In Hair and Scalp Health

If you notice changes in your hair and scalp health—like more shedding or a dry, irritated scalp—this can also be a sign of circadian misalignment. “Believe it or not, your circadian rhythm helps regulate cell repair and regeneration in your hair follicles, so if it’s off, your hair may not be growing as robustly as it should,” Dr. Petkus says. 

How to Manage Circadian Misalignment

First and foremost, it’s a good idea to consult a doctor if you suspect circadian misalignment is significantly affecting your quality of life, especially if you’re dealing with chronic fatigue, mood swings, or other symptoms that won’t go away. It’s rare, but significant and prolonged circadian misalignment could be the result of an underlying cause like delayed sleep phase syndrome—which is something a doctor can help with, Dr. Petkus says. 

But for most people experiencing sporadic bouts of circadian misalignment, there are several at-home strategies you can try to manage the condition:

1. Stick to a Consistent Sleep Schedule

Sleep consistency is extremely important, Dr. Petkus says. He recommends waking up and going to bed at the same time every day—including weekends. Obviously, this is easier said than done and isn’t always possible, but try to prioritize consistency when you can: It helps train your body’s internal clock and, subsequently, keep things on track. 

2. Get Morning Sunlight

“It’s easier to force yourself awake than to force yourself asleep,” Dr. Dimitriu says, “so setting and sticking to a fixed wake-up time each morning can help, along with getting some bright outdoor light near your wake time.” Not only will time in the sunshine simply feel pleasant, but getting enough natural light in the morning is also a way to tell your brain, “Hey, it’s daytime,” Dr. Petkus says. 

3. Limit Screen Time

Research suggests regular exposure to blue light right before bedtime directly may impact your circadian rhythm and sleep quality. While the ideal bedtime routine will differ from person to person, it’s generally a good idea to put away your phone and other light-emitting electronics at least an hour before bed. “This ensures your brain knows it’s nighttime,” Dr. Petkus says. On the other hand, passive activities like reading can provide the opposite effect and slow you down, Dr. Dimitriu adds.  

4. Exercise Regularly

Exercise can help lock in your sleep rhythm, Dr. Petkus says. According to some research, regular exercise can also improve metabolic and immune functions, which can help prevent and treat various diseases related to circadian disorders. (Just aim to wrap up your workout at least a couple of hours before bedtime, especially if you’re planning a vigorous exercise session, so that your body has time to wind down before dreamland.)

5. Try Meditation or Mindfulness Practices

Studies show that stress can impair normal sleep patterns for some folks, potentially leading to issues like circadian misalignment. Meditation, breathing exercises, and other mindfulness practices can help reduce stress levels and boost mood, thereby helping to promote better sleep and overall balance in your circadian rhythm, Dr. Petkus says. “These practices are beneficial no matter what time of day to help manage stress and improve sleep,” he says.

6. Time Your Meals Properly

Staying consistent with your bedtime each day can do wonders for your snooze, but your meal timing may play a part as well. Findings from a 2021 study in the British Journal of Nutrition show the benefits of eating your last meal a few hours before bed to promote better Zzzs. Conversely, eating or drinking within an hour of bedtime can increase the likelihood of waking up in the middle of the night. 

Can Circadian Misalignment Be Prevented?

Circadian misalignment can often be prevented by making a few lifestyle adjustments. Here are a few tips to help you promote healthy sleep patterns:

The Takeaway

Sleep disturbances, like trouble falling asleep or constant middle-of-the-night awakenings—aren’t just annoying, they can have real consequences like circadian misalignment, leaving you overly tired, irritable, or even at risk for certain health conditions. And it’s not just shift workers or frequent fliers who deal with circadian misalignment—it can happen to anyone. The good news: Proper sleep hygiene can go a long way to both treat and prevent the common condition, as can a few lifestyle tweaks like being consistent with mealtimes, exercising regularly, and adopting mindfulness practices like meditation.