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Bright idea: light therapy might ease IBD symptoms

NCT ID NCT06094608

Symptom relief Sponsor: University of Michigan Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Sep 02, 2026 · Updated 5 times

Summary

This study tests whether morning light therapy can improve sleep timing and reduce symptoms in people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Sixty-eight adults with active IBD symptoms will either use a light therapy device at home for one hour each morning or continue their usual routine. Researchers will measure changes in quality of life, mood, and sleep disturbances over the study period.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Morning light treatment via Re-Timer device
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward a simple, drug-free way to ease IBD symptoms and improve quality of life by adjusting sleep patterns.
What could go wrong
This is a small pilot study with only 68 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The light therapy may not improve symptoms, and some people may find it inconvenient or uncomfortable.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

64 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Feb 2024

Finished

Jun 2026

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Biopsy-proven IBD * Active IBD symptoms * Impaired IBD quality of life * Age \>/=18 years old * Fluency in English * Physically able to travel for study visits Exclusion Criteria: * Ileostomy, colostomy, ileoanal pouch, or ileorectal anastomoses, are planned for imminent surgery and/or have short bowel syndrome * Other significant chronic disease * Retinal pathology, history of eye surgery, taking photosensitizing medications * Recent history of light treatment * Lifetime psychotic or bipolar disorder * Acute suicidal ideation * Substance use disorder in the past 3 months, cannabis use \>1/week * High risk for or diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, and/or narcolepsy * Severe hearing problem, intellectual disability or serious cognitive impairment * Pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breastfeeding * Night work or travel outside the eastern time zone in the past month

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Crohn disease inflammatory bowel disease ulcerative colitis

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Crohn disease Inflammatory bowel diseases Ulcerative colitis

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University of Michigan

    Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48105, United States

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