How late-night sleep schedules affect blood sugar in older teens and young adults
Night Owl Metabolism: Investigating the Impact of Chronotype on Glucose Metabolism in Youth
This project compares blood sugar responses when glucose testing and the first meal of the day are timed to a young person's natural sleep schedule versus standard morning timing for 17–23-year-olds.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11317237 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would join a randomized crossover test where people aged 17–23 with late and non-late sleep patterns come to Johns Hopkins for controlled glucose testing and meal sessions. Each participant experiences both timing conditions: testing/meals aligned to their own sleep-wake pattern and testing/meals at a standard morning time. The study uses oral glucose tolerance tests and measured first-meal responses to see how timing changes blood sugar. Visits require in-person attendance for timed blood sampling and standardized meals.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are 17–23-year-olds, especially those who naturally stay up late ('night owls') or who are at risk for or concerned about youth-onset type 2 diabetes.
Not a fit: People younger than 17 or older than 23, those without delayed sleep patterns, or those with other diabetes types (e.g., type 1) are unlikely to benefit directly from this specific project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, aligning testing and meal timing with a young person's sleep schedule could improve accuracy of diabetes testing and reduce post-meal blood sugar spikes for night-owl youth.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have linked late sleep timing to worse glucose control, but using chronotype-aligned testing and meals in young people is a novel approach that has not been widely tested.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hitt, Talia — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Hitt, Talia
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 below.