Sleep and stress linked to heavy drinking in young adults
NCT ID NCT05684094
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study looks at how sleep patterns and stressful events influence alcohol use in young adults aged 18-24 who are heavy drinkers. Researchers will track sleep, brain activity, and stress responses to understand why some people drink more. The goal is to use this knowledge to create better ways to prevent alcohol problems in the future.
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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 90 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Sep 2023
- Expected to finish
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Feb 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 to 24 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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 Hide 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: 1. 18-24 years of age; 2. NIAAA criteria for past-month high-risk drinking (i.e., ≥ 4 drinks/day or ≥ 8/week for women, ≥ 5 drinks/day or ≥ 15/week for men); 3. short and late sleep (weekday sleep duration ≤ 7.5 hours and bedtime ≥ 24:00 (midnight); n=60) or long and early sleep (weekday sleep duration \> 7.5 hours and bedtime ≤ 24:00 (midnight); n=30); 4. at least moderate lifetime exposure to stressors (≥ 2 events on the 20-item Adult Stress and Adversity Inventory-Screener); 5. not currently in high school; and 6. English language fluency. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Severe alcohol use disorder (AUD) and/or substance use disorder (SUD), defined as ≥6 AUD/SUD criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5; 2. acute alcohol intoxication on the days of the laboratory post-intensive visits, operationalized as a blood alcohol concentration of .02 or higher during Breathalyzer saliva screen; 3. current clinician-provided diagnosis of narcolepsy or idiopathic hypersomnia; 4. lifetime diagnosis of bipolar or schizophrenia spectrum disorder; 5. certain medical conditions (e.g., serious neurological disorder, heart failure or serious trouble, history of head injury with unconsciousness \> 5 minutes); 6. conditions that are contraindicated for MRI (e.g., ferrous metal in the body); 7. positive screen for participant-reported eye disease, epilepsy, or photosensitizing medications that are contraindicated during the manipulation condition when bright light is administered (e.g., psychiatric neuroleptic drugs \[e.g., phenothiazine\], psoralen drugs, antiarrhythmic drugs \[e.g., amiodarone\], antimalarial and antirheumatic drugs, porphyrin drugs used in photodynamic treatment of skin diseases); 8. use of melatonin if participant is not willing to discontinue use for the duration of the study. We will schedule around (i.e., delay appointments as needed) to avoid the timeframe of the following events: 1. urgent suicide risk, defined by moderate/severe risk per CSSR and clinician determination that current risk requires immediate action; 2. travel across two or more time zones within the month prior to the overnight study visits. 3. begin/end a prescribed medication within 2 months of the observational study; 4. medication dose changes within the timeframe calculated as 5x the drug's half-life \[the time to reach pharmacokinetic steady-state\] before the initiation of the observational or experimental studies; 5. participant-anticipated changes in prescribed medications or medication dosing during the observational or experimental studies.; 6. current symptoms of an airborne infectious illness (e.g., COVID) prior to laboratory visits. Participants with positive breathalyzer screen (blood alcohol level \> .02) will be rescheduled for an alternative overnight visit date.
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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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Oregon Sleep Lab
RECRUITINGEugene, Oregon, 97403, United States
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