Mind After Midnight — how being awake between 2:00 and 4:00 AM affects mood and decision-making
The Mind After Midnight: Mechanistic Examination of Nocturnal Wakefulness as a Suicide Risk Factor
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
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 90 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 55 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of Arizona Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Tucson, Arizona) |
| Trial ID | NCT07438912 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
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.
Who should consider this trial
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.
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.
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 performed: 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.
Eligibility criteria
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 this trial is running
Tucson, Arizona
- 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
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.