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Case Report Volume 13 Issue 2
Social isolation as a potential contributor to non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder in a sighted patient: a case report
Sebastiano Endara-Sargeant, Korinne Konner BA, Nikhil Shirishkar BS, MS, Andres E. Bravo MD
Received: July 30, 2026 | Published: August 14, 2026
Citation: Endara-Sargeant S, Konner KBA, Shirishkar NBS, et al. Social isolation as a potential contributor to non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder in a sighted patient: a case report. J Lung Pulm Respir Res. 2026;13(2):40-41. DOI: 10.15406/jlprr.2026.13.00343
Abstract
Non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder (N24SWD) is uncommon in sighted individuals. We report a case of a 19-year-old sighted man with anxiety, depression, prior suicidal ideation, and profound social isolation who presented with a three-year history of insomnia. Home sleep apnea testing demonstrated an apnea-hypopnea index of 2 events/hour. A two-week sleep diary revealed a progressive daily delay in sleep onset and wake times consistent with a free-running circadian rhythm, supporting the diagnosis of N24SWD. This case highlights social isolation and disruption of social zeitgebers as potential contributors to circadian dysregulation in susceptible sighted individuals. Further research is needed to better understand the relationship between environmental factors and N24SWD in this population.
Keywords: non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders, social isolation, free-running circadian rhythm, sighted patient
©2026 Endara-Sargeant, et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.