Non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome

Non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome (also known as Non-24) is a rare circadian arrhythmia. This disturbance causes the sleep-wake requirement in affected individuals to repeatedly shift by several minutes compared to the 24-hour day.

Mostly blind persons are those in whom the intrinsic circadian rhythm is not synchronized with the 24-hour day of the environment, and therefore suffer from the syndrome.

As a result of this disorder, there is a multitude of symptoms. These include a complete sleep disorder, daytime sleepiness, general reduction in performance, and concentration reduction. Furthermore, there is a risk of additional health problems such as cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders.