Mind After Midnight — how being awake between 2:00 and 4:00 AM affects mood and decision-making
Official title: The Mind After Midnight: Mechanistic Examination of Nocturnal Wakefulness as a Suicide Risk Factor
Run by University of Arizona · NCT07438912 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 55 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 90 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Arizona Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Tucson, Arizona) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | March 6, 2026 |
| Main results expected | February 28, 2029 |
| Study ends | August 31, 2029 |
| Registry record updated | October 1, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07438912 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults aged 18–55 who had suicidal ideation within the past six months, keep a habitual bedtime between 9:00 PM and 1:00 AM and wake time between 6:00 AM and 9:00 AM, and can provide informed consent are the intended participants.
✕Probably not a fit
Those with current active suicidal intent requiring immediate care, primary untreated sleep disorders, bipolar or psychotic disorders, recent substance use disorder, night-shift work or recent transmeridian travel, pregnancy, or use of medications that strongly affect sleep or circadian rhythms are excluded and unlikely to benefit from this protocol.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
The study will enroll about 90 adults with recent suicidal ideation and combine home-based monitoring with overnight laboratory visits. Participants will complete late-night assessments of mood, hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, impulsivity, and decision-making at different times of day, including 2:00–4:00 AM. To test the role of sleep pressure, each person will be measured under two conditions: high sleep pressure (staying awake until 2:00 AM) and low sleep pressure (sleeping and being awakened at 2:00 AM). Circadian markers such as melatonin and behavioral timing will be measured to link biological rhythms to cognitive and emotional changes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help pinpoint times of increased suicide risk and guide timing of interventions or sleep-based strategies to reduce nocturnal vulnerability.
How similar studies have gone: Observational and epidemiologic studies link nocturnal wakefulness to worse mood and higher suicide risk, but experimental tests of the underlying circadian and sleep-pressure mechanisms are limited.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria * Age 18-55 years * History of suicidal ideation within the past 6 months * Habitual bedtime between 9:00 PM and 1:00 AM * Habitual wake time between 6:00 AM and 9:00 AM * Ability to provide informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Current suicidal intent requiring immediate clinical intervention * Diagnosis of a primary sleep disorder (e.g., untreated obstructive sleep apnea, narcolepsy) * Bipolar disorder or psychotic disorder * Substance use disorder within the past 3 months * Use of medications that significantly affect sleep or circadian rhythms * Night shift work or transmeridian travel within the past month * Medical or neurological condition that would interfere with participation * Pregnancy
Where it's running
-
University of Arizona - Center for Sleep, Circadian, and Neuroscience Research
Tucson, Arizona, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Michael A Grandner, PhD — University of Arizona
- Study coordinator: Denisse Armenta
- Email: armentamd@arizona.edu
- Phone: 5206261737
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Multi-layered digital monitoring and pharmacogenomics to prevent suicide in adults with depression
This study tests whether a digital monitoring system, a digital safety plan, and pharmacogenetic-guided care can reduce suicide re-attempts in adults with depression.
-
Remote ischemic conditioning for post-stroke insomnia
A 136-person, randomized study will test whether a non-invasive arm-cuff procedure done twice daily for 90 days can improve sleep after a first ischemic stroke in adults 18–80.
-
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.
-
Rapid relief of suicidal thoughts with ketamine and a crisis plan in the emergency department
This study tests whether a single intramuscular dose of ketamine plus a brief Crisis Response Plan helps reduce suicidal thoughts in ED patients who are likely to be admitted.
-
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.
-
Recovery-oriented suicide prevention for young people at clinical high risk for psychosis
This program tests a peer-supported, clinician-led suicide prevention group for young people at clinical high risk for psychosis to see if it helps reduce suicidal thoughts and support recovery.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.