# Extending Sleep to Improve Glycemic Control in Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA · 2020 · $397,200

## Abstract

It is known that sleep disturbances in healthy youth have negative effects on
neurobehavioral functioning. Further, data support that individuals with diabetes have more
sleep disturbances and compromised neurobehavioral functioning than individuals without
diabetes. Unfortunately, sleep is not routinely addressed in standard clinical care for youth with
diabetes. An experimental study is needed to verify the direct impact of sleep duration on
glycemic control and neurobehavioral functioning in youth with type 1 diabetes. Therefore, our
primary study aims are to (1) Test if lengthening sleep improves glycemic control and in youth
with T1DM; (2) Assess if “booster” sessions can contribute to sustained sleep length; and (3)
Assess if “booster” sessions can lead to statistically and clinically meaningful changes in HbA1c,
the gold standard of glucose control. In the proposed randomized study, up to 175 youth (ages
10 through 16) with T1DM will be assigned to a Sleep Extension or a Control condition. The
Sleep Extension lengthens youth's time in bed to allow for a healthy sleep duration, whereas the
control condition does not impose a prescribed sleep schedule; it controls for time and attention.
We will test the impact of sleep extension on key indices of glycemic control (average glucose
levels and % time in range) and secondary benefits (e.g., quality of life, diabetes-related
distress, and social-emotional functioning); examine the mediating role of adherence, and
explore physiological pathways of effect (e.g., heart rate variability (HRV), cortisol levels) Once
our aims are achieved and a causal link is established, the proposed Sleep Extension
intervention will advance knowledge about the role of sleep in diabetes management and
provide a beneficial intervention to help youth with T1DM.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9754820
- **Project number:** 5R01DK110528-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
- **Principal Investigator:** Michelle M Perfect
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $397,200
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-09-12 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9754820

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9754820, Extending Sleep to Improve Glycemic Control in Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes (5R01DK110528-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9754820. Licensed CC0.

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