Increased Sleep Duration for Sleep Deprivation

Overseen By Christopher Depner

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Utah

Must not be taking: Prescription medications

Disqualifiers: Unstable medical, psychiatric, sleep disorders, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

46 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores how increased sleep duration affects health, focusing on changes in blood components (plasma) and insulin sensitivity. Participants will be encouraged to increase their sleep from less than 6 hours to around 7 hours per night for four weeks. The study aims to detect these changes in the blood and potentially use them as indicators of sleep quality. Individuals who usually sleep less than 6 hours a night and live at higher altitudes, such as Denver, might be a good fit for this study. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to contribute to understanding how sleep impacts health.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

Yes, participants must stop taking prescription medications and supplements at least one month before the study and cannot use them during the study.

What prior data suggests that this protocol is safe?

Research has shown that getting more sleep is generally safe and beneficial. Studies have found that sufficient sleep reduces the likelihood of accidents or injuries, helping people stay alert and focused.

Insufficient sleep is linked to several health problems, including increased risks of high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. Therefore, by getting more sleep, individuals might avoid these health risks.

Overall, most people should find it easy to get more sleep, which could help reduce health risks associated with insufficient rest. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Unlike other treatments for sleep deprivation that might involve medications or behavioral therapy, this approach focuses simply on increasing sleep duration. Researchers are excited because this method is non-invasive and relies on natural sleep rather than pharmaceutical interventions, which often come with side effects. The unique aspect here is assessing the impact of extended sleep on metabolism and glucose tolerance, potentially revealing new insights into how sleep contributes to overall health.

What evidence suggests that this protocol is effective for increasing sleep duration?

Research has shown that getting more sleep benefits health. Lack of sleep links to issues like high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. Studies have found that adequate sleep can improve memory and reduce tiredness. Sleeping about 7–8 hours a night associates with better health and a longer life. This trial will investigate whether increasing sleep duration can improve health for those who usually sleep less than 6 hours. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Christopher Depner

Principal Investigator

University of Utah

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adults aged 18-35 with a BMI of 18.5-24.9, who sleep less than 6 hours per night and have lived at high altitudes like Denver's for over 3 months. It excludes those with unstable medical conditions, psychiatric disorders, significant sleep disorders, recent medication use or need during the study, drug users including nicotine and herbal products within a month prior to the study.

Inclusion Criteria

You have lived in a place as high as Denver or higher for at least 3 months.

Your BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9.

You don't regularly exercise at a moderate level.

Exclusion Criteria

I haven't used any drugs, medications, nicotine, or herbal products for a month.

You have worked night shifts in the past year or traveled across multiple time zones in the three weeks before the study.

Blood donation in the 30 days prior to inpatient study

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Baseline Assessment

Participants sleep in the lab for one night based on their habitual insufficient sleep schedule. Plasma is collected for metabolomics analyses and an oral glucose tolerance test is conducted.

1 night

1 visit (in-person)

Increased Sleep Duration Intervention

Participants undergo a 4-week intervention to increase sleep duration to the recommended 7 hours per night.

4 weeks

Post-Intervention Assessment

Participants sleep in the lab for one night on their new sleep schedule. Plasma is collected for metabolomics analyses and an oral glucose tolerance test is conducted.

1 night

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in plasma metabolites and insulin sensitivity after the intervention.

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Increased sleep duration

Trial Overview

The trial aims to increase participants' nightly sleep from under 6 hours to the recommended 7 hours to see how it affects blood markers related to metabolism and insulin sensitivity. The main focus is on changes in branched-chain amino acids as primary outcomes and insulin sensitivity as secondary outcomes.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Increased Sleep Duration Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Following baseline assessments, participants will complete a 4-week increased sleep duration intervention followed by one night of sleep in the lab on this increased sleep duration schedule. In the morning, participants will have blood collected for metabolomics analyses and complete oral glucose tolerance testing

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Utah

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,169

Recruited

1,623,000+

University of Colorado, Boulder

Collaborator

Trials

128

Recruited

29,600+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Therapeutic sleep deprivation has been shown to have antidepressant effects, supported by numerous studies since its introduction in 1971, making it a potential treatment option for depressive disorders.

Partial sleep deprivation late at night is as effective as total sleep deprivation, offering a simpler and more practical method for inducing wakefulness in patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Sleep deprivation therapy. Kuhs, H., Tölle, R.[2019]

Extended nighttime sleep may not significantly improve daytime alertness for most people, as laboratory studies show only minor improvements in alertness after longer sleep durations, which could be achieved more effectively with short naps.

The idea that many individuals are chronically sleep deprived is challenged, as increased sleep duration may not be necessary for well-being, and people often sleep longer not due to sleepiness but rather due to the opportunity to do so.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Should we be taking more sleep? Harrison, Y., Horne, JA.[2015]

The study found that after sleep deprivation, the total duration of desynchronized sleep during recovery increased significantly compared to the control value of 40 ± 4 seconds per hour.

This suggests that sleep recovery mechanisms may involve longer periods of desynchronized sleep, which could have implications for understanding sleep patterns and recovery after sleep loss.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Quantitative study of desynchronized sleep recovery after short term total deprivation in the cat]. Calasso, M., Cianci, T., Zamboni, G., et al.[2006]

In a study with 20 healthy adults, recovery from one night of total sleep deprivation was significantly better with 9 hours of sleep compared to 6 hours, highlighting the importance of total sleep time (TST) for recovery.

Participants who had only 6 hours of recovery sleep showed persistent deficits in waking functions, with response times and alertness remaining below baseline levels throughout the recovery period, indicating that restricted sleep opportunities hinder recovery.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The characteristics of recovery sleep when recovery opportunity is restricted. Jay, SM., Lamond, N., Ferguson, SA., et al.[2019]

Acute partial and total sleep deprivation in young men led to significant increases in evening cortisol levels, with increases of 37% and 45% respectively, indicating that sleep loss can disrupt the body's stress hormone regulation.

The study found that sleep deprivation delayed the normal decrease in cortisol levels by at least one hour, suggesting that even short-term sleep loss can affect the body's ability to manage stress and may contribute to negative health effects over time.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Sleep loss results in an elevation of cortisol levels the next evening. Leproult, R., Copinschi, G., Buxton, O., et al.[2022]

Epidemiological studies, including data from 1.1 million respondents, indicate that sleeping more than 7.5 hours per night is linked to increased mortality, suggesting that long sleep duration may be a risk factor for health issues.

Mild sleep restriction could potentially reduce mortality rates among long sleepers and may also provide benefits such as improved mood and effectiveness in treating primary insomnia, particularly in older adults who often experience excessive sleep and fragmentation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Long sleep and mortality: rationale for sleep restriction. Youngstedt, SD., Kripke, DF.[2022]

Chronic sleep loss significantly impairs performance, especially during the circadian night, highlighting the cumulative negative effects of insufficient sleep over time.

While 10-hour sleep opportunities can temporarily restore performance after sleep deprivation, the benefits diminish quickly, indicating that recovery from chronic sleep loss is not as simple as one long sleep session.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Uncovering residual effects of chronic sleep loss on human performance. Cohen, DA., Wang, W., Wyatt, JK., et al.[2022]

In a study involving 34 healthy young men, sleep restriction of 4 hours per night led to significant insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, and hyperglycemia, highlighting the negative impact of sleep loss on metabolic health.

Clamping cortisol and testosterone levels during sleep restriction reduced insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia by 50%, suggesting that maintaining these hormone levels may help protect against metabolic disturbances caused by lack of sleep.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Clamping Cortisol and Testosterone Mitigates the Development of Insulin Resistance during Sleep Restriction in Men. Liu, PY., Lawrence-Sidebottom, D., Piotrowska, K., et al.[2022]

In a study of six drug-free depressed patients over eleven days, sleep deprivation for 36 or 40 hours resulted in a temporary improvement in depressive symptoms for four out of the six participants.

The study found that changes in sleep patterns did not correlate with the observed improvements in clinical state, suggesting that the benefits of sleep deprivation may not be directly linked to sleep changes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Sleep deprivation: outcome of controlled single case studies of depressed patients. Knowles, JB., Southmayd, SE., Delva, N., et al.[2019]

After moderate sleep deprivation, a single 9-hour recovery sleep opportunity can restore daytime performance and reduce sleepiness to baseline levels, but two such opportunities are needed for full recovery of sleep latencies.

In contrast, when recovery sleep is limited to 6 hours after moderate sleep deprivation, performance and sleepiness do not return to baseline, indicating that insufficient recovery time can lead to persistent deficits in daytime functioning.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The dynamics of neurobehavioural recovery following sleep loss. Lamond, N., Jay, SM., Dorrian, J., et al.[2007]

Chronic sleep restriction (CSR) in healthy individuals led to a significant reduction in sleep duration but resulted in increased Slow-Wave Activity and more consolidated sleep, suggesting that CSR may enhance certain aspects of sleep quality.

Despite improvements in sleep metrics, sustained attention and neurobehavioral performance did not fully recover after nine nights of recovery sleep, indicating that sleep duration is a critical factor in assessing overall sleep quality and its effects on cognitive function.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Impact of chronic sleep restriction on sleep continuity, sleep structure, and neurobehavioral performance. Xin, Q., Yuan, RK., Zitting, KM., et al.[2023]

Fatigue from sleep loss is a significant issue in modern work environments, leading to cognitive performance declines and increased occupational risks, especially for those on non-standard schedules.

Effective strategies to combat fatigue include proper work/rest scheduling, good sleep hygiene, and the use of sleep-inducing medications or alertness-enhancing compounds when necessary, along with education on these methods to optimize alertness management.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Alertness management strategies for operational contexts. Caldwell, JA., Caldwell, JL., Schmidt, RM.[2008]

The sleep-deprivation paradigm is a valuable method for exploring the functions of sleep, and integrating new measures can provide fresh insights into its effects.

Recent studies highlight the importance of better understanding the consequences of insomnia, suggesting that more research is needed in this area.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Risk-taking and other effects of sleep loss on brain function and behaviour. Dijk, DJ.[2011]

Partial sleep deprivation in healthy adult men showed that restricting sleep to earlier hours (12:00 AM to 3:00 AM) resulted in less REM sleep and longer time to reach REM compared to later hours (3:00 AM to 6:00 AM).

Participants who had earlier sleep restriction performed better on psychomotor vigilance tasks, indicating that earlier sleep may enhance daytime alertness, and the negative effects of sleep deprivation can be reversed with adequate sleep.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of different sleep restriction protocols on sleep architecture and daytime vigilance in healthy men. Wu, H., Stone, WS., Hsi, X., et al.[2021]

A study involving 25 young, healthy adults showed that reducing sleep from 8 to 6 hours per night for one week led to increased daytime sleepiness and decreased performance on cognitive tasks.

The research also found that this modest sleep restriction resulted in higher levels of proinflammatory cytokines like IL-6 and altered cortisol secretion, indicating potential negative effects on health and well-being.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adverse effects of modest sleep restriction on sleepiness, performance, and inflammatory cytokines. Vgontzas, AN., Zoumakis, E., Bixler, EO., et al.[2022]

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