Bright light therapy added to sleep training to reduce pain after knee surgery in older adults
Official title: Adding Bright Light Treatment to Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia to Prevent Chronic Post-Surgical Pain in Older Adults
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11387674 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether adding morning bright light therapy to cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia can lower chronic pain and reduce opioid use after knee replacement in older adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $680,306 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG085712-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11387674 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Older adults scheduled for total knee arthroplasty who have insomnia or sleep difficulties and are not contraindicated for light therapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without insomnia or with contraindications to light therapy may not experience benefit.
What this research studies
Older adults undergoing knee replacement often suffer insomnia, which may contribute to long-term pain and higher opioid use. The study combines bright light therapy with a structured sleep program to see if better sleep can lessen the transition from immediate post-surgical pain to chronic pain. Researchers will recruit patients awaiting knee replacement, deliver the combined sleep intervention around the perioperative period, and measure pain outcomes, sleep quality, and opioid exposure over time. The approach uses non-drug sleep treatment with potential analgesic benefits in a population at high risk for persistent pain. If successful, it could offer a safe, scalable way to improve recovery and reduce opioid needs after surgery.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could experience less chronic pain after knee surgery and use fewer opioids during recovery.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data suggest sleep optimization can influence pain and mood, but this specific perioperative bright light plus CBTi approach is novel in reducing CPSP.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Smith, Michael T — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Smith, Michael T
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.