Short-Term Sleep and Light-Based Intervention may Improve Adolescent Circadian Rhythm: JAMA
A randomized clinical trial has revealed that a 2-week program combining sleep scheduling, morning bright-light exposure, and evening blue light–blocking glasses shifted adolescents’ circadian timing earlier and increased weekday sleep duration. While promising, larger trials are needed to confirm benefits and assess broader impacts on sleepiness, academic performance, behavior, and overall well-being. Integrating personalized strategies with supportive policy changes may further enhance adolescent sleep health. The study was published in JAMA Pediatrics by Delainey L.W. and colleagues.
The clinical trial was conducted within the school year from 2018 to 2024 at an academic medical institution with the primary target population being the extremely sensitive age group ranging from 16 to 19 years old. The authors selected subjects that could be referred to as "late-sleepers," or students attending conventional high schools and having consistent sleeping times of past 1 AM on weekends. From the initial 86 individuals, 80 went through the baseline procedure and were randomly allocated either to the "Sleeping Late Teens Program" (n=40) or the sleep monitoring control group (n=40). The study sample had a mean age of 17.5 years, including 60% females.
The experimental group was engaged in the "Sleeping Late Teens Program," which aimed at being short yet intense to accommodate students' hectic schedule. The program started with just one problem-solving collaborative session that lasted less than an hour. After this, participants had to follow a personal schedule to adjust their bedtime and wake time gradually until it aligned with a healthy one. In order to help with circadian adjustment, participants utilized two special instruments: morning glasses to wear for 30-60 minutes after waking up and before going to bed for 2 hours.
Key findings:
- Key results from the investigation showed statistically significant and clinically meaningful differences favoring the intervention group over the control group.
- In terms of using DLMO as the marker to measure the phase difference between the two groups, investigators were able to demonstrate that the intervention group was able to advance their timing by 45 minutes (β = -0.55; 95% CI, -0.79 to -0.31; P = 0.003).
- Of note, however, is that the increase in sleep time on weeknights for the intervention group, which was determined through the use of actigraphy, averaged at 47 minutes (β = 0.74; 95% CI, 0.30-1.18; P = 0.003).
- Though there was an improvement in the alignment in the intervention group by 18 minutes compared to 8 minutes in the control group, the former did not prove to be statistically significant (P = 0.20).
The findings from this randomized controlled study helps tackle the current epidemic of inadequate sleep among adolescents. The research has shown that it is possible to shift the circadian timing to an earlier time and increase week night sleep among adolescents using a brief intervention that incorporates sleep scheduling, morning bright light spectacles, and evening blue-light blocking glasses. This study shows how working within the circadian rhythm of the adolescent can lead to success within a very short period.
Reference:
Wescott DL, Quick AD, Oryshkewych NS, et al. Chronotherapeutic Approaches to Target Insufficient and Late Sleep in Adolescents: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Pediatr. Published online April 20, 2026. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2026.0976
