The Clinical Utility of Dim Light Melatonin Onset in the Treatment of Delayed Sleep-Wake Phase Disorder: A Randomized Trial
2017 Strategic Research Grant
Leslie Swanson, PhD
University of Michigan
Key Project Outcome
This study tested whether measuring an individual’s circadian clock to determine when they should take low-dose (0.5 mgs) melatonin vs. estimating when they should take melatonin based on their sleep timing produces better treatment outcomes in adults with delayed sleep-wake phase disorder. After four weeks of 0.5 mgs melatonin, participants showed similar changes in their circadian clock timing and their sleep timing regardless of whether they were assigned to take melatonin 5 hours before their fall-asleep time or 3 hours before when their circadian clock started to produce melatonin in the brain. Both groups showed a similar circadian phase advance; their own circadian clock time shifted to about 90 minutes earlier after treatment. They also fell asleep earlier, woke up earlier, and reported less daytime impairment due to their sleep after treatment. Overall, the results of this study suggest that there is no advantage to measuring circadian timing when deciding when to time melatonin treatment for delayed sleep-wake phase disorder.