When reason sleeps: attempted suicide during the circadian night

Andrew S Tubbs; Patricia Harrison-Monroe; Fabian-Xosé Fernandez; Michael L Perlis; Michael A Grandner

doi:10.5664/jcsm.8662

When reason sleeps: attempted suicide during the circadian night

J Clin Sleep Med. 2020 Oct 15;16(10):1809-1810. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.8662.

Authors

Andrew S Tubbs¹, Patricia Harrison-Monroe¹, Fabian-Xosé Fernandez², Michael L Perlis³, Michael A Grandner¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Arizona.
² Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.
³ Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Abstract

Disrupted sleep and nocturnal wakefulness are evidence-based risk factors for suicidal thoughts and behaviors. We present a suicide attempt following a rapid increase in nocturnal wakefulness. This case illustrates how nocturnal wakefulness may drive suicide risk through circadian misalignment.

Keywords: nocturnal wakefulness; sleep; suicidal attempt; suicide.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Humans
Risk Factors
Sleep
Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders*
Suicidal Ideation
Suicide, Attempted*