Increasing sleep duration to improve health markers

Biomarkers and Altered Metabolic Pathways During Sleep Loss

This study is testing if getting more sleep can improve health markers like insulin sensitivity in people who usually sleep less than 6 hours a night.

Quick facts

• Phase: Not applicable
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 46 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years to 35 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: University of Utah (Academic / other)
• Locations: 1 site (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Trial ID: NCT04214184 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This study aims to increase sleep duration in individuals who typically sleep less than 6 hours per night to the recommended 7 hours. It will assess how this change affects plasma metabolome and insulin sensitivity, focusing on changes in branched-chain amino acids and insulin response. Participants will undergo a controlled sleep protocol in a lab setting, followed by a 4-week intervention to increase sleep duration. Blood samples will be collected for metabolomics analyses before and after the intervention to identify potential biomarkers related to sleep insufficiency.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are healthy adults aged 18-35 who habitually sleep less than 6 hours per night and have a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9.

Not a fit: Patients with significant medical or psychiatric conditions, clinically significant sleep disorders, or those on prescription medications may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could provide insights into biomarkers that help identify individuals at risk for health issues related to insufficient sleep.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have explored sleep duration and its effects on health, but this specific approach using metabolomics to identify biomarkers is relatively novel.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. 18-35 years old; men and women

   a. Equal numbers of women and men will be included.
2. Body Mass Index (BMI) of \> 18.5 and \<24.9.
3. Inactive to habitual moderate physical activity level (\<5 days of exercise per week).
4. Sleep/wake history: habitual sleep duration less than 6 hours per night.
5. Altitude history: Potential participants must have lived at Denver altitude or higher for at least 3 months.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Any clinically significant unstable medical or surgical condition within the last year (treated or untreated).
2. Any clinically significant psychiatric condition, as defined by DSM-IV-TR. I
3. Any clinically significant sleep disorder.
4. Use of prescription medications/supplements within one month or need of these medications at any time during the study.
5. Symptoms of active illness (e.g., fever).
6. Uncorrected visual impairment
7. History of shift work in prior year or travel more than one time zone in three weeks prior to study.
8. Participants must be entirely drug-free of illicit drugs, medications, nicotine and herbal products for one month prior to study.
9. Blood donation in the 30 days prior to inpatient study.
10. Ovulating women will be selected on the basis of a history of regular menstrual cycle ranging in length from 25-32 days with a maximum of three days variation month-to-month. They will have no history of prior gynecological pathology, be at least 1 year post-partum, not breast-feeding and not pregnant (HCG pregnancy test at screening and upon admission to the inpatient protocol).

Where this trial is running

Salt Lake City, Utah

• Sleep Wake Center--University of Utah — Salt Lake City, Utah, United States (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Christopher Depner — University of Utah
• Study coordinator: Christopher Depner

Conditions Sleep Deprivation; Insufficient Sleep Syndrome; Sleep Wake Disorders