What is Sleep?
Although everyone needs to sleep to maintain their health, the question “what is sleep?” has proven surprisingly difficult. During the state of sleep, the brain exhibits profound changes.
It is now believed the function of sleep is to clear metabolic waste products from the pathways of the brain. This helps explain why healthy sleep must be sufficient in both duration and depth.

What Conditions Are Associated With Sleep?
The most common health condition associated with sleep is insomnia. Insomnia is difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or both. Sleep disturbances can be physiological in nature (for example, Restless Legs Syndrome) or psychological (for example, nightmares.)
Experts have estimated that about 25% of Americans develop some degree of insomnia in any given year. In 75% of cases, it passes without long-term damage to sleep habits.
Other common sleep disorders include:
- Snoring
- Sleep apnea, “pauses” in breathing often caused by soft tissue blockage in the airway
- Sleep hypoventilation, trouble breathing in sleep caused by respiratory muscle weakness
- Restless Legs Syndrome, which causes discomfort only alleviated by moving the legs
- Bruxism, the grinding of the teeth during sleep, which can damage the teeth and jaw
Sleep medicine experts also recognize several less common sleep disorders. These include things like narcolepsy, nightmares and night terrors, and Rapid Eye Movement Behavior Disorder.
Maintaining Sleep Health
Many chronic sleep conditions arise with no known cause. However, maintaining good sleep hygiene can help. Sleep hygiene refers to the whole collection of habits that affect sleep health.
In general, it is a good idea to develop a consistent bedtime and routine for “going to bed.” Discontinue the use of phones and other “screens” an hour before bed, since the blue light of these devices inhibits the brain’s natural response to reduced lighting at night.
Remember, many factors can contribute to sleep health issues:
- Certain medications, such as those used for high blood pressure and asthma
- Chronic pain disorders and other conditions that cause persistent discomfort
- Stress in your personal or work life and conditions like anxiety or depression
Each individual has a slight variance in sleep need. Likewise, the duration of sleep needed does change depending on life stage. However, it is important to know everyone needs about eight hours of nightly sleep to maintain mental and physical health.
Medical Research on Sleep
With the answers to key questions on “why do we sleep?” coming into view, sleep researchers are continuing to pursue clinical sleep studies looking for new sleep disorder treatments.
Sleep clinical care has undergone revolutionary changes in recent years thanks to imaging technology that precisely pinpoints sleep-related changes in the human brain at any age.
Current Clinical Trials on Sleep
This list includes all clinical trials on sleep recognized by ClinicalTrials.gov. To add sleep clinical trials to our list, contact us.
- Sleep for Health Study on the Effects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia on Diabetes Riskon October 4, 2023 at 4:00 am
Conditions: Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Prediabetic State; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders Interventions: Other: SHUTi; Other: Patient Education Sponsors: Kaiser Permanente; National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) Recruiting
- Efficacy of Melatonin, Low-dose Quetiapine, or Placebo in Patients With Psychiatric Disorders and Comorbid Insomniaon October 2, 2023 at 4:00 am
Conditions: Psychiatric Disorders; Insomnia Interventions: Drug: Melatonin; Drug: Quetiapine; Drug: Placebo Sponsors: Lone Baandrup; Danish Center for Sleep Medicine; Region Capital Denmark; Copenhagen Trial Unit, Center for Clinical Intervention Research; Mental Health Services in the Capital Region, Denmark Recruiting
- Feasibility of Internet Group CBT-I for Gyn Oncology Patientson September 29, 2023 at 4:00 am
Conditions: Insomnia Interventions: Behavioral: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia Sponsors: University of California, Davis Recruiting
- Treatment of Insomnia in Patients With Breast Canceron September 29, 2023 at 4:00 am
Conditions: Breast Cancer; Insomnia Interventions: Other: Tilia tomentosa Concentrated - Glycerine macerate (C-GM) vs Placebo (1 gtt/10 kg/day before bedtime for 15 days) Sponsors: Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS Recruiting
- The Effect of Progressive Relaxation Exercise and Sleep Hygiene Training on Sleep Quality and AnxietyLevel Given to Outpatients With Anxiety Disorder in Psychiatry Clinicon September 28, 2023 at 4:00 am
Conditions: Anxiety Disorder/Anxiety State Interventions: Behavioral: Progressive relaxation exercises and sleep hygiene training Sponsors: Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi Recruiting
- Black Impact: The Mechanisms Underlying Psychosocial Stress Reduction in a Cardiovascular Health Interventionon September 26, 2023 at 4:00 am
Conditions: Cardiometabolic Syndrome; Physical Inactivity; Hypertension; Type 2 Diabetes; PreDiabetes; Obesity; Cardiovascular Diseases; Smoking; Sleep; Hyperlipidemias; Diet, Healthy; Blood Pressure Interventions: Behavioral: Black Impact Intervention Sponsors: Ohio State University; American Heart Association Recruiting
- The Effect of Bed Bath Applied to Palliative Care Patients on Saturation, Pain Level and Sleep Qualityon September 26, 2023 at 4:00 am
Conditions: Palliative Care Interventions: Other: bed bath application Sponsors: Eskisehir Osmangazi University Recruiting
- Effects of Digitally Delivered and Group-based CBT-I in Pregnant Women With Comorbid Insomnia and Depressionon September 26, 2023 at 4:00 am
Conditions: Pregnancy Related; Depression; Insomnia Interventions: Behavioral: Group CBT-I; Behavioral: App-based CBT-I; Other: Health related psychoeducation Sponsors: The University of Hong Kong; Stanford University; Chinese University of Hong Kong Recruiting
- Efficacy of Group Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Youth Anxiety and Insomniaon September 26, 2023 at 4:00 am
Conditions: Insomnia; Anxiety Interventions: Behavioral: CBT-I; Behavioral: CBT-A Sponsors: The University of Hong Kong; Chinese University of Hong Kong; Goldsmiths, University of London; Stanford University Recruiting
- Multi-morbidity Screening in People With Type 2 Diabetes and Pre Diabeteson September 25, 2023 at 4:00 am
Conditions: Type 2 Diabetes; Pre Diabetes; Obstructive Sleep Apnea; Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; Heart Failure Sponsors: University of Liverpool Recruiting
- Neural Mobilization With Intermittent Cervical Traction on Grip Strength, Sleep Quality, and Quality of Life in Cervical Radiculopathyon September 21, 2023 at 4:00 am
Conditions: Cervical Radiculopathy Interventions: Other: Neural Mobilization with Intermittent Cervical Traction; Other: Neural Mobilization Sponsors: University of Lahore Recruiting
- Impact of Beetroot Supplementation in Athleteson September 21, 2023 at 4:00 am
Conditions: Healthy Interventions: Dietary Supplement: Beetroot juice supplementation or placebo Sponsors: University School of Physical Education, Krakow, Poland; University of Bergen Recruiting
Why Are More Clinical Trials on Sleep Necessary?
There may be no single “cure for insomnia”, but clinical trials on sleep help doctors develop effective sleep disorder treatment protocols for the various situations where sleep is disturbed.
Ongoing sleep research continues to redefine what we know about each of these conditions. Insomnia treatments are just one of the new sleep clinical resources coming from this effort.
Conclusion
The majority of American adults experience sleep disturbances at some point in life. With that in mind, clinical trials on sleep truly affect everyone. Unfortunately, sleep disorders are under-diagnosed – and those who suffer often do not pursue treatment. Participating in clinical studies on sleep is one way to help ensure you, and others, will rest better.
Content Box
- https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180605154114.htm
- https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/pdfs/Insomnia.pdf
- https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-future-of-sleep-studies
- https://www.sleepfoundation.org/insomnia/what-insomnia
- https://medlineplus.gov/sleepdisorders.html
- https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/sleep-hygiene