How short sleep and a shifted body clock affect weight and blood sugar
Uncovering sleep and circadian mechanisms contributing to adverse metabolic health
['FUNDING_R01'] · OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY · NIH-11158785
This project tests whether chronic short sleep and disruptions to your internal clock change eating habits and blood sugar in adults.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (PORTLAND, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11158785 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Over a 14-day, tightly controlled protocol, adults will be randomly assigned to reduced sleep, shifted sleep timing, or both so researchers can separate the effects of sleep loss from circadian disruption. The team will monitor what and when you eat, measure food choices, and perform glucose tolerance testing to track blood sugar responses. Participants will follow prescribed sleep schedules and attend in-person visits where meals, activity, and metabolic testing are controlled. The study is designed to pinpoint how sleep patterns and body-clock timing drive appetite, food intake, and glucose control.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are adults who can follow a prescribed 14-day sleep schedule, attend in-person visits at OHSU in Portland, and tolerate blood draws and glucose testing.
Not a fit: People with severe sleep disorders, uncontrolled medical conditions, pregnancy, or those unable to comply with strict sleep or clinic visit requirements are unlikely to benefit or be eligible.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to sleep- or timing-based strategies to help prevent or better manage obesity and type 2 diabetes.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have linked short sleep to weight gain and worse glucose control, but combining controlled sleep restriction with circadian timing manipulations in a randomized 14-day protocol is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
PORTLAND, UNITED STATES
- OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY — PORTLAND, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: MCHILL, ANDREW WILLIAM — OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY
- Study coordinator: MCHILL, ANDREW WILLIAM
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.