A 35-year-old male who works night shifts as a security guard reports having trouble sleeping during the day. He says he feels excessively sleepy during his shifts. What could be the potential cause of his insomnia, and what steps can be taken to address it?
This patient's sleep issues may be due to shift work disorder, which is common in people who work non-traditional hours. His body's natural circadian rhythm may be misaligned with his sleep schedule, leading to insomnia during his sleeping hours and excessive sleepiness during his awake hours. Management includes good sleep hygiene, scheduling blocks of sleep time, and sometimes the use of sleep-promoting medications or wakefulness-promoting agents.