Recruiting

Morning Light Exposure

Sponsor:

University of Arizona

Code:

NCT05616819

Conditions

Suicidal Ideation

Regulation, Emotion

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 60

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

Active light exposure

Placebo light exposure

Study Details

Brief summary:

Mood dysregulation and suicidal ideation are closely associated with disruption of sleep and circadian rhythms. Moreover, sleep problems and circadian disruption are commonplace features of military life. Critically, specifically timed light exposure plays a powerful role in regulating mood, circadian rhythms, and sleep-wake patterns. Therefore, investigators propose to conduct a large-scale clinical trial on the effectiveness of morning light exposure treatment for improving sleep-wake patterns, emotional and mental health, and suicidal thoughts in military personnel.

Conditions

Suicidal Ideation

Regulation, Emotion

Study ID

NCT05616819

Start date

Jul 1, 2023

Status verified date

Oct, 2025

Completion date

Jan 1, 2026

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Jan 1, 2026

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 60

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Ages 18-60 years
  • At least an 8th grade reading level
  • Score ≥ 5 (i.e., mild depression or greater) on the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9)
  • Service member of any Armed Forces branch, including active duty, Reserve, or National Guard

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Not actively serving in an Armed Force branch
  • Scored (i.e., < 5) range on the PHQ-9 (non-depressed)
  • Pregnant or trying to become pregnant
  • Breastfeeding
  • History of psychotic disorder or manic episodes
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Diseases of the eye
  • Have had cataract surgery
  • Frequent and light-sensitive migraine headaches
  • Self-reported plan to regularly engage in nightshift work during the 6-week course of the study

Study Design

Enrollment

480 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Crossover

Primary purpose

Prevention

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

active comparator: Treatment Order A

Active light condition for 2 weeks, a 2-week washout period, and 2 weeks of placebo light treatment.

placebo comparator: Treatment Order B

Placebo light treatment for 2 weeks, a 2-week washout period, and 2 weeks of active light treatment.

Interventions

Active light exposure

Active light at the wave length of 470nm will be emitted for 30 minutes over a 2 week time frame, from commercially available ayo glasses, as a method to regulated circadian rhythm.

Placebo light exposure

Placebo light at the wave length of 578nm will be emitted for 30 minutes over a 2 week time frame, from commercially available ayo glasses, as a control to investigate the regulation of circadian rhythm.

Primary outcome measure

  • Suicidal Ideation: Depression [ Time Frame: Participants will be assessed the day before the initiation of the first two-week intervention period and the day following the conclusion of the first two-week intervention period. This will be repeated for the second two-week intervention period. ]
  • Suicidal Ideation: Association with Death [ Time Frame: Participants will be assessed the day before the initiation of the first two-week intervention period and the day following the conclusion of the first two-week intervention period. This will be repeated for the second two-week intervention period. ]
  • Suicidal Ideation: Hopelessness [ Time Frame: Participants will be assessed the day before the initiation of the first two-week intervention period and the day following the conclusion of the first two-week intervention period. This will be repeated for the second two-week intervention period. ]
  • Suicidal Ideation: Suicidal Cognitions [ Time Frame: Participants will be assessed the day before the initiation of the first two-week intervention period and the day following the conclusion of the first two-week intervention period. This will be repeated for the second two-week intervention period. ]
  • Suicidal Ideation: Loneliness [ Time Frame: Participants will be assessed the day before the initiation of the first two-week intervention period and the day following the conclusion of the first two-week intervention period. This will be repeated for the second two-week intervention period. ]
  • Suicidal Ideation: Burdensomeness [ Time Frame: Participants will be assessed the day before the initiation of the first two-week intervention period and the day following the conclusion of the first two-week intervention period. This will be repeated for the second two-week intervention period. ]
  • Suicidal Ideation: Resilience [ Time Frame: Participants will be assessed the day before the initiation of the first two-week intervention period and the day following the conclusion of the first two-week intervention period. This will be repeated for the second two-week intervention period. ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

William D Killgore, Ph.D.

(520) 621-0605killgore@arizona.edu

Camryn Wellman

camrynwellman@arizona.edu

Locations

University of Arizona

Recruiting

Tucson, Arizona, United States, 85719

Contacts

William DS Killgore

520-621-0605killgore@psychiatry.arizona.edu

Camryn Wellman

camrynwellman@arizona.edu

More Information

Sponsor

University of Arizona

Last update posted

Nov 4, 2025

Last verified

Oct, 2025

Keywords

  • Circadian Rhythm
  • Blue Light

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by University of Arizona on 2025-11-04.