Advanced Circadian Rhythm (ACR)

Advanced Circadian Rhythm (ACR) means your body clock is running faster than a normal 24-hour period. This means you tend to run out of energy before the 'day' or 24 hour period is through. ACR also tends to compress the sleep portion of your daily cycle, causing you to lose valuable sleep. ACR sufferers often sleep less than 8 hours per night, and awaken early.

ACR symptoms

You may experience one or more of the following symptoms:

• Early morning awakening.
• Inconsistent sleep with one or more awake periods during the night.
• Lack of energy during the day, feeling tired in the early afternoon and/or evening.
• Alertness and ability to function may also be diminished.
• Some ACR sufferers may not notice a sleep problem but lose energy and feel tired or down in the afternoon or evening time.

How ACR Affects You

Because your daily cycle, or circadian rhythm is running fast, your pineal gland releases the nighttime hormone melatonin prematurely, causing you to feel tired earlier in the evening. Since melatonin is released prematurely, your body clock can't sustain a complete sleep cycle, and you awaken early. Because you don't receive the proper amount of sleep, your energy, alertness and ability to function may also be diminished.

Treatment Recommendations for ACR

Specialized bright light (2,500 - 10,000 lux intensity) is the only effective treatment for ACR. Since bright light will suppress melatonin for approximately three hours, you should use bright light in the late afternoon and or evening while avoiding bright morning light before 9:00 am. If you need to be outside or in bright light before this time, you should wear sunglasses. Also, try to make your night time as dark as possible, and avoid using light when getting up during the night.

Learn more about light therapy products that can help with ACR »