Hormonal and Menstrual Change after Modification of Chronotype–An Eye Opener Treatment Strategy

Abstract

In urban areas, especially in adolescents, there is an increasing trend to engage in activities, which are not in compliance with circadian clock and natural rhythm of light dark circle, turning them into a night owl chronotype. Research evidences highlight various health issues as a result of this chronotype. There are no research evidences of whether change of this night owl chronotype to lark shall correct these health issues. This is a unique case of a young unmarried lady, aged 22 years, from Lucknow, India, who visited OPD of Regional Ayurveda Research Institute for Eye Disorders (RARIED), Lucknow, with complaints of scanty menstrual flow along with hormonal imbalance, which had no improvement even after 6-7 months of medication. On probing the cause of these complaints, it was found that the patient had a night owl chronotype since past few years along with untimely food habits. The patient was then counseled for shifting the chronotype to lark along with timely food habits, which is in compliance with Ayurveda Guidelines of Lifestyle (AGOL) without any medications. After that a remarkable improvement in menstrual health was observed. Menstrual flow reached back almost to normal and the hormonal profile was balanced, with an exception to anti-mullerian hormone (AMH), which had only a slight improvement.