How sleep and your body clock affect cravings and emotions during opioid medication treatment
Investigating mechanisms underpinning outcomes in people on opioid agonist treatment for OUD: Disentangling sleep and circadian rhythm influences on craving and emotion regulation
['FUNDING_R01'] · EMMA PENDLETON BRADLEY HOSPITAL · NIH-11175440
This work looks at how sleep patterns and circadian rhythms relate to cravings and emotion control in people taking medications for opioid use disorder.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | EMMA PENDLETON BRADLEY HOSPITAL (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (Riverside, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11175440 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If you are taking methadone or buprenorphine, researchers will measure your sleep patterns, body-clock timing, cravings, and emotion control over time. They will use wearable sleep trackers and lab-based sleep measurements alongside cognitive tests and questionnaires to map sleep architecture and circadian rhythms. The team will compare people on different opioid agonist medications to see whether sleep problems come from shifts in the circadian clock or from changes in sleep structure. Results will help point to specific add-on treatments—such as cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia—that match your particular sleep disruption.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults currently receiving opioid agonist medications (such as methadone or buprenorphine), especially those with sleep problems or difficulty controlling cravings or emotions, are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People not on opioid agonist treatment or whose relapse risk is unrelated to sleep or circadian issues are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to personalized sleep-focused treatments that reduce cravings and improve recovery for people on opioid medications.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies link sleep problems to worse addiction outcomes, but using detailed circadian and sleep-architecture measures to guide targeted treatments is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Riverside, UNITED STATES
- EMMA PENDLETON BRADLEY HOSPITAL — Riverside, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: CARSKADON, MARY A — EMMA PENDLETON BRADLEY HOSPITAL
- Study coordinator: CARSKADON, MARY A
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.