NIH-funded research R01 grant

Understanding the link between sleep and binge drinking in college students

Official title: Characterizing individual differences in the reciprocal relationship between sleep deprivation and binge drinking within the context of college life

Funded at Rutgers, the State Univ of N.j. · NIH-11098635 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This project looks at how sleep and binge drinking affect each other in college students to better understand the risks of alcohol misuse.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionRutgers, the State Univ of N.j.
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Piscataway, United States)
Project startSeptember 25, 2021
Project endMay 31, 2026
Funding year2025
Award (this year)$394,784
NIH project number5R01AA028286-05
Project IDNIH-11098635 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

College students who participate in an ongoing longitudinal study and are willing to share information about their sleep and drinking habits are ideal candidates.

Less likely to help

Individuals not in college or those without concerns about sleep or alcohol use may not directly benefit from this specific research.

What this research studies

We want to understand how sleep patterns and binge drinking habits are connected in college students. This project will track sleep quality and alcohol use over time, using both self-reported information and objective measures like wearable devices and sleep studies. By looking at these behaviors before, during, and after drinking, we hope to find out why some students are more at risk for alcohol-related problems. This information could help prevent addiction and other health issues.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: This work could help reduce immediate alcohol-related harms in college students and provide a foundation for improving treatments for sleep and alcohol use disorders.

How similar studies have gone: While the general relationship between sleep and alcohol is known, this project explores individual differences and detailed physiological measures in a novel way.

Where this research is happening

  • Rutgers, the State Univ of N.j.
    Piscataway, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Buckman, Jennifer F. — Rutgers, the State Univ of N.j.
  • Study coordinator: Buckman, Jennifer F.

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

  • Exploring how lack of sleep affects gut health

    This study is looking at how not getting enough sleep can affect gut health, using fruit flies to help us understand how sleep loss might change the gut and increase the risk of heart and metabolic issues.

    NIH research Harvard Medical School · Boston, United States · NIH-11062506

  • How sleep deprivation affects thinking and mood

    This study looks at how not getting enough sleep can affect thinking and increase the chances of feeling depressed, using animal models to learn more about what happens in the brain when we don’t sleep well, with hopes of finding new ways to help people who struggle with mood issues related to sleep loss.

    NIH research University of Utah · Salt Lake City, United States · NIH-10886925

  • Understanding how lack of sleep affects decision-making in the brain.

    This study looks at how not getting enough sleep affects our ability to make decisions when things change, using mice and rats to explore what happens in their brains when they're sleep-deprived, so we can learn more about why we might struggle to adapt when we're tired.

    NIH research Washington State University · Pullman, United States · NIH-10791860

  • Sleep and circadian care for ICU patients

    This study tests a multicomponent sleep and circadian rhythm program in adult ICU patients to see if it helps keep daily rhythms and sleep better.

    Recruiting Shanghai Zhongshan Hospital · Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · NCT07869901

  • HBS-104 single doses in acutely sleep-deprived healthy adults

    This study tests whether a single dose of HBS-104 is safe and how it behaves in the body when given to healthy adults who are acutely sleep-deprived.

    Recruiting Phase 1 Harmony Biosciences Management, Inc. · Eatontown, New Jersey · NCT07848659

  • Mind After Midnight — how being awake between 2:00 and 4:00 AM affects mood and decision-making

    This project will test whether being awake during the biological night (2:00–4:00 AM) increases negative mood, poor decision-making, and suicidal thoughts in adults who have had suicidal ideation in the past six months.

    Recruiting University of Arizona · Tucson, Arizona · NCT07438912

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.