SleepNCT07001514
Evening Screen Content and Sleep Architecture in Older Adults: Crossover RCT
A study testing Calming digital content, Exciting Digital Content and Non-digital book reading in people with Sleep, run by Blekinge Institute of Technology at 1 site in Sweden.
Trial summary
Title The Effect of Evening Technology Use with Calming vs. Exciting Content on Sleep Architecture in Older Adults: A Crossover Randomized Controlled Trial Background The study explores how evening use of digital devices with different types of content (calming vs. exciting) affects sleep in older adults. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 60 to 75 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Sleep
- What is being tested?
- Calming digital content, Exciting Digital Content and Non-digital book reading
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 50 participants
- Where
- 1 siteSweden
- Study dates
- Aug 2025to Dec 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 60 to 75 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Age 60 - 75 years
- Regular evening use of digital devices (e.g., smartphones or tablets)
- Willing and able to wear an EEG headband for sleep monitoring throughout the intervention
Who cannot join
- Diagnosed sleep disorder
- Severe cognitive impairment
- Current use of medications that significantly influence sleep (e.g., melatonin, benzodiazepines)
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Sweden1 site
Blekinge Institute of Technology
Karlskrona, Blekinge County, SE-371 79
Johan Sanmartin Berglund, +46 (0) 455-385471, johan.sanmartin.berglund@bth.se
Sarah Nauman Ghazi
About this study
Official title: The Effect of Evening Technology Use With Calming vs. Exciting Content on Sleep Architecture in Older Adults: A Crossover Randomized Controlled Trial
Title
The Effect of Evening Technology Use with Calming vs. Exciting Content on Sleep Architecture in Older Adults: A Crossover Randomized Controlled Trial
Read more
Background
The study explores how evening use of digital devices with different types of content (calming vs. exciting) affects sleep in older adults. While technology's effects on sleep have been studied in younger populations, its specific impacts on older adults remain under-researched. This study fills that gap by focusing on subjective and objective sleep measures.
Objectives and Research Questions
Objective: Compare the effects of calming digital content, exciting digital content, and non-digital activities on sleep architecture.
Key Questions:
How does content type impact sleep architecture and quality? Does calming content lead to better sleep outcomes than exciting content? Are there subjective differences in sleep quality across conditions?
Read the detailed description
This study will compare the effects of watching calming (nature documentaries), playing exciting digital games like Ruzzle, and reading a physical book on older adults' subjective and objective sleep quality. This will be a randomized crossover trial. The investigators will exclude participants with diagnosed sleep disorders, Severe cognitive impairment, Use of sleep-affecting medications such as melatonin or benzodiazepines, or Irregular sleep schedules. A sample size of approximately 50 participants (49-51) will be recruited.
All the participants will have all three intervention periods with washout periods in between. During every intervention week, participants will fill out a quick nightly log about their sleep and what tech they used (smartphone, tablet, or a laptop/computer). During sleep, they will wear a comfy EEG headband measuring their sleep stages.
Because everyone eventually does all three conditions, the investigators can compare each person's own results and get more precise answers with fewer people.
The investigators will analyze the data and perform a statistical analysis. The study will be reported in the manuscript and published in a reputable journal.
- Conditions
- Sleep
- Being tested
- Calming digital content, Exciting Digital Content, Non-digital book reading
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Calming digital contentBehavioural
Also called digital, nature documentary
Participants watch a curated selection of soothing documentaries narrated by Sir David Attenborough for 30-60 minutes each evening during one hour before bedtime.
Exciting Digital ContentBehavioural
Also called Digital, Ruzzle, Game
Participants engage with the interactive word-based game Ruzzle for 30-60 minutes each evening during one hour before bedtime, designed to provide mental stimulation.
Non-digital book readingBehavioural
Also called book reading
Participants read a non-fiction book of their choice for the same duration, avoiding all digital screens during one hour before bedtime before bedtime.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Calming Digital Content | Experimental | Participants will watch calming digital content - specifically, nature documentaries narrated by Sir David Attenborough - for 30 to 60 minutes within one hour before bedtime. Sleep outcomes will be assessed using EEG recordings and subjective sleep quality logs. Receives: Behavioral: Calming digital content |
| Exciting Digital Content | Experimental | Participants will engage with exciting digital content by playing the word-based game Ruzzle for 30 to 60 minutes within one hour before bedtime. Sleep outcomes will be evaluated using EEG measurements and subjective sleep assessments. Receives: Behavioral: Exciting Digital Content |
| Non-Digital Pre-Sleep Activity | Active comparator | Participants will engage in a non-digital activity by reading a physical, non-fiction book of their choice for 30 to 60 minutes within one hour before bedtime. No digital screens will be used. Sleep outcomes will be monitored via EEG data and self-reported sleep quality measures. Receives: Behavioral: Non-digital book reading |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Sleep architecture REM
Sleep architecture containing sleep stages REM - Random eye movement stage.
Measured: Nightly during each participant's 7-day intervention periods - Week 1 (Days 1-7), Week 3 (Days 15-21), and Week 5 (Days 29-35) after that participant's enrollment; up to 5 weeks per participant.
Sleep architecture Deep Sleep
Sleep architecture containing sleep stages, Deep sleep
Measured: Nightly during each participant's 7-day intervention periods - Week 1 (Days 1-7), Week 3 (Days 15-21), and Week 5 (Days 29-35) after that participant's enrollment; up to 5 weeks per participant.
Sleep architecture, light sleep
Sleep architecture containing sleep stages, light sleep
Measured: Nightly during each participant's 7-day intervention periods - Week 1 (Days 1-7), Week 3 (Days 15-21), and Week 5 (Days 29-35) after that participant's enrollment; up to 5 weeks per participant.
Sleep latency (time to fall asleep)
time to fall asleep- through EEG headband
Measured: Nightly during each participant's 7-day intervention periods - Week 1 (Days 1-7), Week 3 (Days 15-21), and Week 5 (Days 29-35) after that participant's enrollment; up to 5 weeks per participant.
Total sleep time (TST)
Total amount or duration of sleep
Measured: Nightly during each participant's 7-day intervention periods - Week 1 (Days 1-7), Week 3 (Days 15-21), and Week 5 (Days 29-35) after that participant's enrollment; up to 5 weeks per participant.
Sleep efficiency (SE)
Sleep efficiency (SE)- Sleep efficiency is the percentage of time in bed actually spent sleeping. It is calculated by dividing total sleep time by total time spent in bed and multiplying by 100. Higher sleep efficiency suggests less wakefulness during the night and better overall sleep quality.
Measured: Nightly during each participant's 7-day intervention periods - Week 1 (Days 1-7), Week 3 (Days 15-21), and Week 5 (Days 29-35) after that participant's enrollment; up to 5 weeks per participant.
Wake up after sleep onset (WASO).
Wake up after sleep onset (WASO).WASO measures the cumulative amount of time a participant spends awake after initially falling asleep, until final morning awakening. Elevated WASO values may indicate fragmented or disrupted sleep, which can negatively affect sleep quality and daytime functioning.
Measured: Nightly during each participant's 7-day intervention periods - Week 1 (Days 1-7), Week 3 (Days 15-21), and Week 5 (Days 29-35) after that participant's enrollment; up to 5 weeks per participant.
Secondary outcomes (3)
Subjective sleep quality
Single-Item Sleep Quality Scale. Range 0 (Terrible) to 10 (Excellent)
Measured: Each morning from Day 1 through Day 35 after each participant's enrollment, covering all intervention and washout weeks; up to 5 weeks per participant
Comfort of using the EEG headband
How comfortable do you find wearing the EEG headband at night?
- - Very uncomfortable
- - Slightly uncomfortable
- - Neither comfortable nor uncomfortable
- - Somewhat comfortable
- - Very comfortable
Measured: Each morning during each participant's 7-day intervention periods - Week 1 (Days 1-7), Week 3 (Days 15-21), and Week 5 (Days 29-35) after that participant's enrollment; up to 5 weeks per participant
Intervention Adherence
Participants will be asked whether they were able to complete the assigned evening activity the previous night. If the answer is "yes," they will also report how long they engaged in the intervention (in minutes). This self-report measure will help evaluate the feasibility and real-world compliance with each intervention condition.
Measured: Each morning during each participant's 7-day intervention periods - Week 1 (Days 1-7), Week 3 (Days 15-21), and Week 5 (Days 29-35) after that participant's enrollment; up to 5 weeks per participant
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted3 Jun 2025
- Study startAug 2025 (estimated)
- Primary completionMay 2026 (estimated)
- Study completionDec 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for SleepStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Screening
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Blekinge Institute of Technology
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Peter Anderberg, PhD, Principal investigator, Blekinge Institute of Technology
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07001514
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- BTH-6.1.1-0093-2025
- Status last verified
- May 2025
- First submitted
- 12 May 2025
- Last updated
- 3 Jun 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Individual Participant Data (IPD) will not be shared publicly because the study involves sensitive sleep and health-related data from older adult participants. To protect participant privacy and confidentiality, the data will remain anonymized and securely stored for analysis by the research team only. Public sharing of individual-level data is not planned.
Publications
Ghazi SN, Behrens A, Niklasson J, Sanmartin Berglund J, Anderberg P. The Effect of Evening Technology Use on Objective Sleep in Older Adults: Protocol for a Crossover Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2026 Jan 30;15:e84512. doi: 10.2196/84512.
PubMed 41616128
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 3 Jun 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effect of Evening Technology Use With Calming vs. Exciting Content on Sleep Architecture in Older Adults: A Crossover Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07001514
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- BTH-6.1.1-0093-2025
- Conditions
- Sleep
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Blekinge Institute of TechnologyUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Aug 2025 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- May 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Dec 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 3 Jun 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Title
The Effect of Evening Technology Use with Calming vs. Exciting Content on Sleep Architecture in Older Adults: A Crossover Randomized Controlled Trial
Background
The study explores how evening use of digital devices with different types of content (calming vs. exciting) affects sleep in older adults. While technology's effects on sleep have been studied in younger populations, its specific impacts on older adults remain under-researched. This study fills that gap by focusing on subjective and objective sleep measures.
Objectives and Research Questions
Objective: Compare the effects of calming digital content, exciting digital content, and non-digital activities on sleep architecture.
Key Questions:
How does content type impact sleep architecture and quality? Does calming content lead to better sleep outcomes than exciting content? Are there subjective differences in sleep quality across conditions?
Detailed description
This study will compare the effects of watching calming (nature documentaries), playing exciting digital games like Ruzzle, and reading a physical book on older adults' subjective and objective sleep quality. This will be a randomized crossover trial. The investigators will exclude participants with diagnosed sleep disorders, Severe cognitive impairment, Use of sleep-affecting medications such as melatonin or benzodiazepines, or Irregular sleep schedules. A sample size of approximately 50 participants (49-51) will be recruited.
All the participants will have all three intervention periods with washout periods in between. During every intervention week, participants will fill out a quick nightly log about their sleep and what tech they used (smartphone, tablet, or a laptop/computer). During sleep, they will wear a comfy EEG headband measuring their sleep stages.
Because everyone eventually does all three conditions, the investigators can compare each person's own results and get more precise answers with fewer people.
The investigators will analyze the data and perform a statistical analysis. The study will be reported in the manuscript and published in a reputable journal.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Screening
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Calming Digital Content | Experimental | Behavioral: Calming digital contentParticipants will watch calming digital content - specifically, nature documentaries narrated by Sir David Attenborough - for 30 to 60 minutes within one hour before bedtime. Sleep outcomes will be assessed using EEG recordings and subjective sleep quality logs. |
| Exciting Digital Content | Experimental | Behavioral: Exciting Digital ContentParticipants will engage with exciting digital content by playing the word-based game Ruzzle for 30 to 60 minutes within one hour before bedtime. Sleep outcomes will be evaluated using EEG measurements and subjective sleep assessments. |
| Non-Digital Pre-Sleep Activity | Active comparator | Behavioral: Non-digital book readingParticipants will engage in a non-digital activity by reading a physical, non-fiction book of their choice for 30 to 60 minutes within one hour before bedtime. No digital screens will be used. Sleep outcomes will be monitored via EEG data and self-reported sleep quality measures. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 60 to 75 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Age 60 - 75 years
- Regular evening use of digital devices (e.g., smartphones or tablets)
- Willing and able to wear an EEG headband for sleep monitoring throughout the intervention
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Diagnosed sleep disorder
- Severe cognitive impairment
- Current use of medications that significantly influence sleep (e.g., melatonin, benzodiazepines)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Calming digital contentAlso: digital, nature documentaryParticipants watch a curated selection of soothing documentaries narrated by Sir David Attenborough for 30-60 minutes each evening during one hour before bedtime. | Behavioural | Calming Digital Content |
| Exciting Digital ContentAlso: Digital, Ruzzle, GameParticipants engage with the interactive word-based game Ruzzle for 30-60 minutes each evening during one hour before bedtime, designed to provide mental stimulation. | Behavioural | Exciting Digital Content |
| Non-digital book readingAlso: book readingParticipants read a non-fiction book of their choice for the same duration, avoiding all digital screens during one hour before bedtime before bedtime. | Behavioural | Non-Digital Pre-Sleep Activity |
Primary outcome
Sleep architecture REM
Time frame: Nightly during each participant's 7-day intervention periods - Week 1 (Days 1-7), Week 3 (Days 15-21), and Week 5 (Days 29-35) after that participant's enrollment; up to 5 weeks per participant.
Sleep architecture containing sleep stages REM - Random eye movement stage.
Sleep architecture Deep Sleep
Time frame: Nightly during each participant's 7-day intervention periods - Week 1 (Days 1-7), Week 3 (Days 15-21), and Week 5 (Days 29-35) after that participant's enrollment; up to 5 weeks per participant.
Sleep architecture containing sleep stages, Deep sleep
Sleep architecture, light sleep
Time frame: Nightly during each participant's 7-day intervention periods - Week 1 (Days 1-7), Week 3 (Days 15-21), and Week 5 (Days 29-35) after that participant's enrollment; up to 5 weeks per participant.
Sleep architecture containing sleep stages, light sleep
Sleep latency (time to fall asleep)
Time frame: Nightly during each participant's 7-day intervention periods - Week 1 (Days 1-7), Week 3 (Days 15-21), and Week 5 (Days 29-35) after that participant's enrollment; up to 5 weeks per participant.
time to fall asleep- through EEG headband
Total sleep time (TST)
Time frame: Nightly during each participant's 7-day intervention periods - Week 1 (Days 1-7), Week 3 (Days 15-21), and Week 5 (Days 29-35) after that participant's enrollment; up to 5 weeks per participant.
Total amount or duration of sleep
Sleep efficiency (SE)
Time frame: Nightly during each participant's 7-day intervention periods - Week 1 (Days 1-7), Week 3 (Days 15-21), and Week 5 (Days 29-35) after that participant's enrollment; up to 5 weeks per participant.
Sleep efficiency (SE)- Sleep efficiency is the percentage of time in bed actually spent sleeping. It is calculated by dividing total sleep time by total time spent in bed and multiplying by 100. Higher sleep efficiency suggests less wakefulness during the night and better overall sleep quality.
Wake up after sleep onset (WASO).
Time frame: Nightly during each participant's 7-day intervention periods - Week 1 (Days 1-7), Week 3 (Days 15-21), and Week 5 (Days 29-35) after that participant's enrollment; up to 5 weeks per participant.
Wake up after sleep onset (WASO).WASO measures the cumulative amount of time a participant spends awake after initially falling asleep, until final morning awakening. Elevated WASO values may indicate fragmented or disrupted sleep, which can negatively affect sleep quality and daytime functioning.
3 secondary outcomes
Subjective sleep quality
Time frame: Each morning from Day 1 through Day 35 after each participant's enrollment, covering all intervention and washout weeks; up to 5 weeks per participant
Comfort of using the EEG headband
Time frame: Each morning during each participant's 7-day intervention periods - Week 1 (Days 1-7), Week 3 (Days 15-21), and Week 5 (Days 29-35) after that participant's enrollment; up to 5 weeks per participant
Intervention Adherence
Time frame: Each morning during each participant's 7-day intervention periods - Week 1 (Days 1-7), Week 3 (Days 15-21), and Week 5 (Days 29-35) after that participant's enrollment; up to 5 weeks per participant
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 3 Jun 2025.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 41616128Ghazi SN, Behrens A, Niklasson J, Sanmartin Berglund J, Anderberg P. The Effect of Evening Technology Use on Objective Sleep in Older Adults: Protocol for a Crossover Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2026 Jan 30;15:e84512. doi: 10.2196/84512.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Individual Participant Data (IPD) will not be shared publicly because the study involves sensitive sleep and health-related data from older adult participants. To protect participant privacy and confidentiality, the data will remain anonymized and securely stored for analysis by the research team only. Public sharing of individual-level data is not planned.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Peter Anderberg, PhD principal investigator
Blekinge Institute of Technology
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Calming digital content, Exciting Digital Content and Non-digital book reading in people with Sleep, run by Blekinge Institute of Technology at 1 site in Sweden.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 3 Jun 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Sweden. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Peter Anderberg, PhD (+46734223736, peter.anderberg@bth.se), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Sleep architecture REM (time frame: Nightly during each participant's 7-day intervention periods - Week 1 (Days 1-7), Week 3 (Days 15-21), and Week 5 (Days 29-35) after that participant's enrollment; up to 5 weeks per participant.). The study lists 7 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07001514, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 3 Jun 2025.