How sex and hormone levels change alcohol's effects on sleep
Sex and Sex Hormone Factors Influencing Acute Alcohol Effects on Sleep Physiology
This research looks at how alcohol affects sleep differently in men and women and how women's hormone cycles change those effects in adults aged 21–45.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Kentucky NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lexington, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11145769 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would come to the sleep lab for overnight sessions where you drink a controlled amount of alcohol or a non-alcoholic control and sleep while your brain and body activity are monitored. The team will take blood samples and use sensors to measure sex hormone levels and sleep physiology across different menstrual cycle phases for women. Men and women ages 21–45 who are otherwise healthy will complete paired sessions to compare nights with and without alcohol. The goal is to link hormone fluctuations and sex differences to specific patterns of alcohol-disrupted sleep.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Healthy adults aged 21 to 45, including women with regular menstrual cycles and men, who are willing to undergo overnight sleep monitoring, drink a controlled alcoholic beverage, and provide blood samples.
Not a fit: People under 21, those with severe alcohol dependence, unstable medical or psychiatric conditions, or anyone unable to tolerate alcohol or overnight lab visits are unlikely to benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could explain why alcohol harms sleep differently in women and help shape tailored advice or treatments to protect sleep health.
How similar studies have performed: Prior laboratory studies reliably show alcohol disrupts later-night sleep in men and early evidence suggests women may be even more sensitive, but linking these effects to menstrual phase and hormone levels is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Lexington, United States
- University of Kentucky — Lexington, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Whitehurst, Lauren — University of Kentucky
- Study coordinator: Whitehurst, Lauren
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.