Impact of Longer Sleep on Pain Tolerance
Can More Sleep Improve Pain Responses, Symptomatology, and Regulation in College Students?
This study tests if getting an extra hour of sleep each night for a week can help young adults handle pain better.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 45 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 24 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Penn State University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (University Park, Pennsylvania) |
| Trial ID | NCT05816434 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This study investigates whether extending sleep by at least one hour each night for a week can increase pain tolerance and threshold in young adults. Participants aged 18 to 24 will wear sleep and heart monitoring devices for 21 days while their pain responses to pressure and cold will be assessed during study visits. The goal is to determine the relationship between sleep duration and pain sensitivity.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are healthy young adults aged 18 to 24 who can commit to the study's requirements.
Not a fit: Patients with diagnosed sleep or pain disorders, or those with certain health conditions, may not benefit from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this study could provide insights into non-pharmacological approaches to managing pain through sleep extension.
How similar studies have performed: While the relationship between sleep and pain has been explored, this specific approach of sleep extension as an intervention is relatively novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. 18 to 24 (inclusive) years of age at enrollment 2. Fluent English speaker and reader 3. Willing to refrain from initiating new therapeutic interventions (e.g., medication; behavioral) designed to target sleep or pain for the duration of study participation Exclusion Criteria: 1. Diagnosed with a sleep disorder 2. Diagnosed with a pain disorder 3. Has experienced a cold-related injury frostbite or has any other nerve damage to the feet 4. Has a history of injury to any of the muscular measurement sites for pain (I.e. shoulder, jaw, forearm) 5. Diagnosed with hypertension or cardiovascular disease 6. Evidence of hypertension 7. Diagnosed serious mental health disorder or substance use disorder 8. Taking any physician-directed pharmacologic intervention for sleep 9. Taking any physician-directed pharmacologic intervention for pain 10. Personal health history of traumatic brain injury 11. Pregnant 12. Current smoker
Where this trial is running
University Park, Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania State University — University Park, Pennsylvania, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Anne-Marie Chang, PhD
- Email: auc35@psu.edu
- Phone: +18148635226
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.