Understanding delayed sleep-wake phase (night-owl sleep timing)
Official title: Pathophysiology of Circadian Rhythm Delayed Sleep Wake Phase Disorder
Funded at University of Colorado · NIH-11187054 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether detailed sleep and circadian measurements plus a new blood marker can explain and help treat delayed sleep-wake phase disorder in teens and adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boulder, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 15, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $670,195 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL159647-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11187054 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adolescents and adults with chronic late sleep timing who struggle to fall asleep and wake at socially required times and who can travel to the Boulder, Colorado area for study visits.
✕Less likely to help
People whose sleep problems are primarily caused by shift work, insomnia unrelated to circadian timing, or other medical or psychiatric conditions may not benefit from findings focused specifically on circadian-delayed sleep timing.
What this research studies
If you have trouble falling asleep until very late and then can't wake up for school or work, researchers will monitor your sleep at home, collect blood and other samples, and measure body temperature to map your internal clock. You will come to the lab for two overnight protocols: a constant routine to precisely track central and body rhythms, and a nighttime light exposure session to see how light affects thinking and physiology. The team will compare brain and body rhythm timing and test whether a novel blood biomarker can predict your circadian phase. Cognitive tests and physiological monitoring during lab visits will show how circadian timing links to daytime functioning.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more accurate diagnosis and better-timed treatments that improve sleep, daytime alertness, and quality of life for people with delayed sleep-wake phase disorder.
How similar studies have gone: Previous approaches like morning light and evening melatonin have shown mixed or limited benefits, and using detailed circadian mapping plus a blood biomarker is a relatively new approach built on promising preliminary human data.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Colorado
Boulder, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wright, Kenneth P — University of Colorado
- Study coordinator: Wright, Kenneth P
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Circadian control of brain blood vessels in Alzheimer’s disease
A researcher at Emory is studying how daily biological rhythms influence the brain’s blood vessels to improve brain drug delivery in Alzheimer’s disease.
-
Understanding the biology behind Delayed Sleep-Wake Phase Disorder (DSWPD) and new treatment ideas
This NIH grant aims to understand why some people, including teens and adults, have DSWPD and how to develop better circadian-based treatments to improve sleep and daily functioning.
-
Sleep, circadian rhythms, and the brain’s reward system in teens
A study in teens aims to understand how sleep patterns and daily rhythms influence risk-taking and substance use by looking at brain circuits involved in reward and control.
-
Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorder: Understanding Why Some People Sleep Late
A study at Northwestern University is exploring why some people with delayed sleep patterns have different light sensitivity and how this affects their sleep timing, with the goal of personalizing treatment for those with DSWPD.
-
Sleep and circadian factors linked to opioid treatment outcomes
A long-term study at Johns Hopkins will follow people on buprenorphine or methadone to see how sleep quality and daily rhythms relate to ongoing opioid use.
-
Exercise timing to reset the brain’s body clock in breast cancer care
A study tests whether exercising at specific times can reset the brain’s circadian clock and potentially improve well-being for people coping with breast cancer.
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.