Micromanaging Human Sleep Physiology to Treat Sleep Apnea and Other Disorders

Launched by NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · Apr 7, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking to find out if a special type of breathing training, done while people are awake, can help improve breathing during sleep for those with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The goal is to see if this training can lead to better sleep and improve thinking and memory during the day. Participants will be adults aged 18 to 60 who suspect they have OSA but have not yet received treatment. They will take part in a week of breathing exercises at home and will also use devices to track their sleep. After this, they will spend one night in a lab where their sleep will be closely monitored to check how well the training works.

To take part, individuals need to be right-handed and speak English, have normal hearing, and not have any other sleep disorders or serious health issues. They should also have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or less and should not be receiving treatment for sleep apnea. It’s important to note that the trial is not yet recruiting participants, but if you or someone you know fits these criteria and is interested, this could be a chance to contribute to important research in sleep health.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Right-handed, English-speaking adults, 18-60 years old who report normal hearing during sleep
• • 2. Participants with suspected obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) (including those who have been diagnosed by a physician and those whose self-reported symptoms of OSA on the STOP-BANG questionnaire classify them as being "individuals with intermediate to high risk".
• • 3. No report of any other sleep disorder besides OSA.
• • 4. No report of any neurological or cardiometabolic diseases or disorders.
• • 5. Not currently under active treatment for sleep apnea.
• • 6. BMI ≤ 40.