Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Non-24. (self.Blind)
submitted by chrystalalex
Ok fellow blindies, I'm curious to know what your thoughts are on non-24 sleep disorder. Do you believe you have it, or at least believe in its existence, or do you think its a load of hogwash.
kkolb7 7 points 3y ago
I think its true. My husband is totally blind. He takes melatonin most nights, skipping once / week or so. It helps him be sleepy for nightime.
mantolwen 3 points 3y ago
It's absolutely a real thing. If you put any person, blind or otherwise, in a room without access to the day/night cycle their body clock will soon de-sync from 24 hour days. It's called the 'circadian rhythm' and there's a great podcast on this from the bbc: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06rzd44
chrystalalex [OP] 1 points 3y ago
Oh yeah. No argument from me about that, I've seen a doco about that too. They put a fully sighted guy in a bunker under those conditions, and yeah, his body clock went to shite. My skepticism just comes in because most totals don't exist in those conditions. We have the ability to tell day from night and so on. I have a sighted friend whose sleeping pattern is totally screwed up. It could probably be said that she is affected with it as well. I guess my thinking is, maybe with a bit of melatonin and discipline, most people with insomniacal conditions could turn it around for themselves.
lrq3000 1 points 3y ago
I am a sighted non24. I am also a neuroscience researcher. If you think I did not try discipline, melatonin, serotonin, coffee, light/dark therapy, all kinds of vitamin and mineral supplements, changing the whole diet, doing sports, eating at regular time, using blue light filters and glasses, sunbathing at wakeup, etc. Then you would be mistaken.
Non24 is a serious disorder. If you are living in a normal environment (ie, not a bunker), you have lots of clocks in every ones of your cells which can synchronize to the time of the day for you, they can be based on when you eat, the environment temperature, sounds/noises, social interactions, physical activities, and the most important one light. When you experience these but still have non24, that means your cells are deeply messed up. It's not something that can be changed through discipline.
Non24 is a serious disorder. If you are living in a normal environment (ie, not a bunker), you have lots of clocks in every ones of your cells which can synchronize to the time of the day for you, they can be based on when you eat, the environment temperature, sounds/noises, social interactions, physical activities, and the most important one light. When you experience these but still have non24, that means your cells are deeply messed up. It's not something that can be changed through discipline.
RJHand 2 points 3y ago
I have it and it sucks. Or at least, I think I do. Though I've been better lately than I was. Maybe its that I'm in college? Probably not just that, because today for example I haven't had my coffee. On those days, like today, I feel like shit. I must rock back and forth or do anything I can to not fall asleep in class. So yeah I'd say I have it. I go to bed very late most nights because I often feel more awake at night.
blindbat84 2 points 3y ago
Totally exists and I may have it. If I'm not engaged during the day, late afternoon or later, I can get drowsy and sleep easily, even sitting up.
I just manage it with keeping busy when I need to be up.
I just manage it with keeping busy when I need to be up.
OutWestTexas 2 points 3y ago
It is a legitimate medical condition.
hopesthoughts 1 points 3y ago
Honestly I probably do have it. This used to be a big problem for me, I denied it. Now I enjoy it lol.
I don't really have a particular sleep schedule. I go to bed whenever and wake up whenever. Although the earliest I've ever gone to bed is 7 PM while observing CET time.
I don't really have a particular sleep schedule. I go to bed whenever and wake up whenever. Although the earliest I've ever gone to bed is 7 PM while observing CET time.
AmAsabat 1 points 3y ago
I use heating and warm lamps to switch between day and night in the winter. My apartment is programmed to go cold at 10pm and not warm up again till 7am so I know when it’s day. I also have a very strict wake up at 6am every day come what may with a radio on news at 6 precisely.
In summer I try to be outdoors as much as I can in evenings to feel the change in temperature.
I have to do this to keep regulated as without the stimuli I go to buggery.
In summer I try to be outdoors as much as I can in evenings to feel the change in temperature.
I have to do this to keep regulated as without the stimuli I go to buggery.
donger66669 1 points 3y ago
There's research to support it. Personal anecdote: my psychiatrist suggested once that my insomnia was due to Non 24. I had to correct her by telling het that since I still have some sight left then Non 24 wasn't an issue for me. She wasn't aware that it only affected those who are completely blind. She specializes in mental health for the disabled by the way.
chrystalalex [OP] 3 points 3y ago
Well, it can affect people who aren't totally blind, its just that apparently it affects 70 percent of totally blind individuals. I don't have it, so I have a hard time understanding it. I mean, its not like we can't tell the difference between night and day for god's sake. 🙂
donger66669 4 points 3y ago
I did not know that it could affect the non totally blind. I'm going to have to put my insomnia to work and do some research. I might have to apologize to my doctor for being a misinformed know it all.
lrq3000 1 points 3y ago
I am totally sighted n24. We have a subreddit n24 btw (not just for sighted but we have a lot of them) . Your psychiatrist was quite good, usually they think backward (that psychological issues and insomnia causes n24, instead of the other way around).
codeplaysleep 1 points 3y ago
I've never been diagnosed, nor even seen a doctor about a sleep disorder, but based on the description, this describes me pretty well when I was younger. These days, I've managed to force myself into a pretty regular routine, but if I wasn't disciplined about maintaining it, I'm sure it would go back to gradually going to bed later and later and later.
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