NASA tests blue light and meal timing to keep pilots sharp on Long-Haul flights
NCT ID NCT07761611
First seen Aug 12, 2026 · Last updated Aug 26, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This NASA study tests two simple countermeasures—eating very little during the biological night and wearing blue-enriched light glasses after rest breaks—to see if they can reduce fatigue and improve alertness in airline pilots flying long-haul routes over eight hours. Researchers will track pilots' sleep, sleepiness, workload, and reaction times before, during, and after trips. The goal is to find practical ways to help pilots stay vigilant and perform safely on overnight flights.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Caloric restriction and blue-enriched light exposure
- What this could lead to
- If effective, these simple countermeasures could help airline pilots stay alert and perform better during long flights, potentially improving aviation safety.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage study with a specific pilot population, so results may not apply to all shift workers. The interventions may be impractical or have limited effect in real-world conditions.
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
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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
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About 118 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Sep 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Jul 2029
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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A government agency
The lead sponsor is a US federal agency other than the NIH.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * All medically qualified, active-duty pilots currently flying overnight long-haul operations are eligible to be included as participants in the study. Participants must be line pilots that spend at least 50% of their typical monthly schedule flying long-haul operations (defined at flights over eight hours induration). Exclusion Criteria: * Pilots with metabolic disorders, such as diabetes, those actively trying to lose weight or receiving GLP-1 injections, or those who indicate that they are sensitive to light will be excluded from participation. The medical monitor will review the pilot's self-reported medical conditions and medications (if applicable) prior to enrolment in the study.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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NASA Ames Research Center
Mountain View, California, 94043, United States