Bright light therapy to improve sleep and recovery in opioid use disorder
Official title: The Effect of Light Intervention on Recovery in Individuals with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD)
Funded at University of Alabama at Birmingham · NIH-11417330 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether morning bright light therapy can improve sleep, circadian rhythms, brain signaling, and treatment outcomes for people with opioid use disorder.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project start | September 16, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $248,916 |
| NIH project number | 5R00AA030031-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11417330 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with opioid use disorder undergoing opioid maintenance therapy who can comply with sleep monitoring, light therapy sessions, and imaging procedures.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals unable to participate in morning light therapy or brain imaging, or those with contraindications to light exposure, may not benefit.
What this research studies
People with opioid use disorder often have poor sleep and disrupted circadian rhythms that can make recovery harder. The study will use a multi-method approach, including sleep tracking, brain scans, saliva melatonin, and questionnaires, to see if bright light therapy improves sleep and dopaminergic signaling and supports opioid treatment success. If morning light helps normalize brain signals and sleep, it could enhance recovery and reduce relapse risk. The research will be conducted among adults receiving opioid maintenance therapy at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, with careful monitoring and imaging to understand mechanisms. Findings could inform non-pharmacological strategies to support long-term sobriety.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients may experience better sleep, more stable circadian rhythms, improved brain signaling related to reward, and better recovery outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests light therapy can influence sleep and circadian biology, but its impact on opioid treatment outcomes is being explored in this targeted study.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Rui — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Rui
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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.