The research progress for the treatment of circadian rhythm disorder

Abstract

With the development of The Times, more and more people need to work at night, which is different from the normal biological clock of life, the body’s internal time and external environmental cues, resulting in the disturbance of circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythm disruptions are common to many people, and people can suffer from problems like chronic sleep deprivation or insomnia. Not only that, but over time it can lead to a variety of diseases that affect their lives and a greatly reduced sense of happiness. Recent research progress has suggested that patients with other medical conditions can also experience symptoms of circadian rhythm disruption. This suggests that the circadian rhythm disorder and the diseases are connected in two ways. Therefore, research that uses circadian rhythms to treat diseases by altering circadian rhythms will bring benefits to patients. In this review, the author first describes the relationship between circadian rhythm and specific diseases, such as hypertension, glucose metabolism, and immune system disorders, thus demonstrating a bidirectional relationship between circadian rhythm disturbance and many diseases. Then, three therapeutic methods of circadian rhythm disorder, namely light therapy, melatonin therapy and lifestyle change, are discussed, also mentions their combined use. The mechanism of action and therapeutic methods are introduced in detail, and the corresponding clinical data are given. Finally, based on the potential of circadian intervention, the future development possibilities are proposed.