When spouses have different sleeping patterns; night owls versus early birds

Published: March 8, 2008, 11:13 am

Tags: relationships, marriage, briefly noted

We all know the benefits of "early to bed, early to rise..." and most people in middle age are forced into this regimen by their commutes, family obligations, a desire to exercise, etc. But a certain percentage of the population (estimated anywhere from 5 to 30%) simply cannot get with the early bird program. Their biological clocks just don't seem in sync with the ability to rise with the sun. It's called "Delayed-Sleep Phase Disorder" and can put you at odds with not only those you work with but also those with whom you live. Other than coffee, what can you do? The first step in syncing your internal (that is "circadian") clock is to understand that part of it is influenced by environmental cues, particularly light. From the Wall Street Journal: Light is a key player in the body's circadian clock, which is centered in a tiny cluster of neurons behind the optic nerve called the suprachiasmatic nucleus. The SCN receives light signals from the retina, and in turn, sends signals to

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