Eating and sleep disorders: treatment of delayed sleep phase: practice question

A Psychiatry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

Try it

Psychiatry · Eating and sleep disorders: treatment of delayed sleep phase

Sample item

A 17-year-old falls asleep at 3 am and wakes at 11 am without difficulty on holidays, but cannot attend morning school. Which timed treatment shifts her rhythm earlier?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Morning bright light with low-dose evening melatonin

Light in the morning advances the circadian phase and melatonin taken in the early evening also advances it. Evening light or morning melatonin would delay it further. Hypnotics treat symptoms and do not correct timing.

Option by option

  • A. Nightly benzodiazepine hypnotic

    A hypnotic would not correct the misaligned clock and carries dependence risk.

  • B. Daytime naps to repay the sleep debt

    Napping delays night sleep further.

  • C. Morning bright light with low-dose evening melatonin (correct)

    Correct. Morning light and evening melatonin both advance the circadian phase.

  • D. Evening bright light with morning melatonin

    Evening light and morning melatonin would shift the rhythm later and worsen the problem.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Psychiatry questions

Questions about this Psychiatry question

What is the answer to this Psychiatry question?

The best answer is C, Morning bright light with low-dose evening melatonin. Light in the morning advances the circadian phase and melatonin taken in the early evening also advances it.

Why is "Nightly benzodiazepine hypnotic" not the answer?

A hypnotic would not correct the misaligned clock and carries dependence risk.

Why is "Daytime naps to repay the sleep debt" not the answer?

Napping delays night sleep further.

Why is "Evening bright light with morning melatonin" not the answer?

Evening light and morning melatonin would shift the rhythm later and worsen the problem.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Eating and sleep disorders: treatment of delayed sleep phase in Psychiatry. Evening light or morning melatonin would delay it further. Hypnotics treat symptoms and do not correct timing.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Eating and sleep disorders: treatment of delayed sleep phase?

Learn each diagnosis by its core features and its first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other Psychiatry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.