46 Participants Needed

Increased Sleep Duration for Sleep Deprivation

CD
Overseen ByChristopher Depner
No Placebo GroupAll trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Trial Summary

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 data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Increased sleep duration for sleep deprivation?

Research shows that after sleep deprivation, longer sleep opportunities help improve alertness and performance. For example, after moderate sleep deprivation, a 9-hour sleep period helped people return to normal alertness and performance levels, while shorter sleep periods did not fully restore these functions.12345

Is increased sleep duration generally safe for humans?

Research suggests that increasing sleep duration is generally safe for humans. Proper sleep can help manage fatigue and improve performance, while sleep deprivation can lead to increased cortisol levels, which may affect stress response and health.678910

How does increased sleep duration differ from other treatments for sleep deprivation?

Increased sleep duration is unique because it focuses on extending the amount of sleep to address sleep deprivation, unlike other treatments that often involve sleep restriction to improve sleep quality. This approach is based on the idea that many people are chronically sleep deprived and could benefit from simply getting more sleep, although the benefits to daytime alertness may be minor.1112131415

What is the purpose of this trial?

This protocol will increase sleep duration in participants who maintain less than 6 hours sleep per night, to target the recommended 7 hours of sleep per night. The focus of this study is determine how increasing nightly sleep duration in these individuals who maintain less than 6 hours sleep per night changes their plasma metabolome and insulin sensitivity. The primary outcome will examine changes in branched-chain amino acids and the secondary outcome will examine changes in insulin sensitivity. The investigators will also determine if changes in plasma metabolites can be used as a biomarker to discriminate between adequate versus insufficient sleep.

Research Team

CD

Christopher Depner

Principal Investigator

University of Utah

Eligibility Criteria

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.
See 7 more

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
See 7 more

Timeline

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

Treatment Details

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.
Participant Groups
1Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Group I: Increased Sleep Duration InterventionExperimental Treatment1 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

Find a Clinic Near You

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+

Findings from Research

The study found that after sleep deprivation, the total duration of desynchronized sleep during recovery increased significantly compared to the control value of 40 ยฑ 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.
[Quantitative study of desynchronized sleep recovery after short term total deprivation in the cat].Calasso, M., Cianci, T., Zamboni, G., et al.[2006]
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.
Risk-taking and other effects of sleep loss on brain function and behaviour.Dijk, DJ.[2011]
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.
Sleep deprivation: outcome of controlled single case studies of depressed patients.Knowles, JB., Southmayd, SE., Delva, N., et al.[2019]

References

[Quantitative study of desynchronized sleep recovery after short term total deprivation in the cat]. [2006]
Risk-taking and other effects of sleep loss on brain function and behaviour. [2011]
Sleep deprivation: outcome of controlled single case studies of depressed patients. [2019]
The characteristics of recovery sleep when recovery opportunity is restricted. [2019]
The dynamics of neurobehavioural recovery following sleep loss. [2007]
Alertness management strategies for operational contexts. [2008]
Sleep loss results in an elevation of cortisol levels the next evening. [2022]
Sleep deprivation therapy. [2019]
Uncovering residual effects of chronic sleep loss on human performance. [2022]
10.United Statespubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Clamping Cortisol and Testosterone Mitigates the Development of Insulin Resistance during Sleep Restriction in Men. [2022]
11.United Statespubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Should we be taking more sleep? [2015]
12.Czech Republicpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Effects of different sleep restriction protocols on sleep architecture and daytime vigilance in healthy men. [2021]
Long sleep and mortality: rationale for sleep restriction. [2022]
14.United Statespubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Adverse effects of modest sleep restriction on sleepiness, performance, and inflammatory cytokines. [2022]
15.United Statespubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Impact of chronic sleep restriction on sleep continuity, sleep structure, and neurobehavioral performance. [2023]
Unbiased ResultsWe believe in providing patients with all the options.
Your Data Stays Your DataWe only share your information with the clinical trials you're trying to access.
Verified Trials OnlyAll of our trials are run by licensed doctors, researchers, and healthcare companies.
Back to top
Terms of ServiceยทPrivacy PolicyยทCookiesยทSecurity