Join our National Science Foundation’s Teen Sleep Study!

January 14, 2024

Are you a teenager, or do you have a teenager in your life? Are they having problems staying up too late or having trouble waking up in the morning?

If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you! The National Science Foundation (NSF) is funding a study using Lumos that aims to uncover potential ways to help teenagers improve their sleep, based on Research from Stanford University.

DETAILS

Why is this research being done?

The internal biological clock, also known as the circadian clock, determines when we sleep and when we are awake. A healthy circadian clock aligned with the time of sleep is the foundation of healthy, restorative sleep. However, adolescents typically have 1-3 hour delayed circadian clocks compared to adults, which leads to difficulty falling asleep, insufficient total sleep time, and morning grogginess. The Lumos Mask is designed to use short light flashes at night with a goal to adjust human circadian clocks.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is supporting our research to explore the feasibility of improving sleep for adolescents and young adults through advancing circadian clocks.

Most Lumos Mask users who are adults have been using our Travel module to reduce jet lag. We hope to investigate what kind of light flashes we should use to help adolescents and young adults improve their sleep. Studies conducted at Dr. Jamie Zeitzer’s lab at Stanford University showed that using light flash emitted by bright lamps combined with cognitive behavioral therapy conducted by licensed clinical psychologists / therapists was able to promote earlier bedtime and longer sleep for adolescents. This NSF project is designed to explore the feasibility of sleep improvement for adolescents and young adults by advancing their circadian clocks using light flash technology from a wearable sleep mask investigational device assisted with mobile application-delivered cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia (CBT-i).

How long will I be in this research?

The sleep program is designed for 6 weeks. There may be a few weeks before and after for set up and follow-up questions. Occasionally it may take longer to complete the study depending on schedule availability and different testing or troubleshooting procedures. Overall, we anticipate your participation to be no more than 4 months.

What happens to me if I agree to take part in this research?

If you decide to take part in this research study, the general procedures include wearing your Mask at home during your regular sleep time, checking in with a licensed clinical psychologist / therapist every week for 6 weeks to learn about and implement sleep hygiene. You will also be asked to fill out surveys.