Healthy Endurance AthletSLEEPCORENCT07322276
Effects of Exercise Timing on Sleep Quality
A study testing Aerobic Exercise in people with Healthy Endurance Athlet and Inactive People, run by Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint Etienne at 1 site in France.
Trial summary
Modern lifestyles are marked by a prevalence of sedentary behaviors and physical inactivity, which have been linked to numerous adverse health effects. While regular physical exercise is a well-established countermeasure, exercising in the late afternoon may paradoxically disrupt deep sleep due to increased core body… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 30 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Healthy Endurance Athlet, Inactive People
- What is being tested?
- Aerobic Exercise
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 42 participants
- Where
- 1 siteFrance
- Study dates
- 23 Jan 2026to 31 May 2029
- 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 18 to 30 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Group "Inactive" :No regular exercise practice (inactive people that don't follow the WHO recommendations) and have sedentary behaviors
- Group "Active": Regular exercise (athletes that are specialized in aerobic exercise, with more than 300 minutes per-week over 6 months and practice at regional level).
Who cannot join
- Have sleep disorders medically diagnosed or detected by sleep forms cutoffs (clinical insomnia by ISI, severe risk of obstructive sleep apnea by Stop-Bang, bad sleep quality by PSQI.
- Have a diagnosed mental health condition requiring treatment
- Have renal, respiratory, cardiovascular or neuromuscular disease medically diagnosed.
- Be pregnant or breastfeeding
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
France1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Chu Saint-Etienne
Saint-Etienne, 42055
Florian CHOUCHOU, Ph.D. student, 04 77 12 03 83 ext. 33 4 77 12 03, florian.chouchou@univ-reunion.fr
Léonard FEASSON, PhD, 04 77 12 03 83 ext. 33 4 77 12 03, leonard.feasson@univ-st-etienne.fr
About this study
Official title: Effects of Exercise Timing and Physical Activity Level on Sleep Quality and Body Temperature
Modern lifestyles are marked by a prevalence of sedentary behaviors and physical inactivity, which have been linked to numerous adverse health effects. While regular physical exercise is a well-established countermeasure, exercising in the late afternoon may paradoxically disrupt deep sleep due to increased core body temperature. Inactive and sedentary individuals, who often have impaired autonomic function compared to endurance-trained athletes, may be particularly susceptible to these negative effects, potentially resulting in compromised thermoregulation and exacerbated disruptions to deep sleep, a critical stage of sleep essential for overall recovery. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the impact of aerobic exercise performed in the late afternoon versus morning on: 1) deep sleep and sleep onset latency; and 2) core body temperature and its autonomic regulatory mechanisms on endurance-trained and inactive-sedentary people.
- Conditions
- Healthy Endurance Athlet, Inactive People
- Being tested
- Aerobic Exercise
- Keywords
- endurance athletes, exercise timing, sleep quality
- Medical subject headings
- Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Aerobic ExerciseOther
The exercise consists of running on a treadmill at 90% of maximum aerobic speed (MAS) for 30 minutes, followed by 12% increments every 5 minutes, until exhaustion (a "time-to-exhaustion" type of exercise).
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| "Inactive-sedentary" group | Active comparator | inactive participants that realize 3 experimental conditions: evening exercise, morning exercise and control (no-exercise). Receives: Other: Aerobic Exercise |
| "Active" group | Experimental | endurance athletes that realize 3 experimental conditions: evening exercise, morning exercise and control (no-exercise). Receives: Other: Aerobic Exercise |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Duration of deep slow-wave sleep
Evaluation of the duration of deep slow-wave sleep (N3 stage) quantified by the EEG signal from polysomnography (Nox A1, Resmed®, USA).
Measured: Once a month for 3 months
Secondary outcomes (5)
Assessment of core temperature
Assessment of core temperature until the end of the sleep period will be measured using gastrointestinal telemetric pills (eCelsius, Bodycap®, France).
Measured: Once a month for 3 months
Evaluation of autonomic nervous system thermoregulation
Evaluation of autonomic nervous system thermoregulation through time-domain (R-R intervals in ms)
Measured: Once a month for 3 months
Evaluation of autonomic nervous system thermoregulation
Evaluation of autonomic nervous system thermoregulation through frequency- domain parameters (in Hz)
Measured: Once a month for 3 months
Complementary sleep evaluation
Complementary sleep evaluation through analysis of duration of N1, N2, and REM stages (in Percentage of Total Sleep Time)
Measured: Once a month for 3 months
Complementary sleep evaluation
Complementary sleep evaluation through characteristics of slow waves present in N3 (amplitude in microvolts)
Measured: Once a month for 3 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted7 Jan 2026
- Study start23 Jan 2026
- Primary completion31 Jan 2029 (estimated)
- Study completion31 May 2029 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Healthy Endurance AthletStudies 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
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Model description
- This is a single-center, open-label, randomized controlled trial with two parallel crossover groups: * "Active" group * "Inactive-sedentary" group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 42 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint Etienne
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Frédéric ROCHE, PhD, Principal investigator, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint Etienne
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07322276
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 25CH122
- Other IDs
- 2025-A00957-42
- Acronym
- SLEEPCORE
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 21 Nov 2025
- Last updated
- 3 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided: This study is realized only in St-Etienne university Hospital
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 3 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of Exercise Timing and Physical Activity Level on Sleep Quality and Body Temperature
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07322276
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- SLEEPCORE / 25CH122
- Conditions
- Healthy Endurance Athlet, Inactive People
- Keywords
- endurance athletes, exercise timing, sleep quality
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 42 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint EtienneUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 23 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Jan 2029 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 May 2029 (estimated)
- First posted
- 7 Jan 2026 (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.
Modern lifestyles are marked by a prevalence of sedentary behaviors and physical inactivity, which have been linked to numerous adverse health effects. While regular physical exercise is a well-established countermeasure, exercising in the late afternoon may paradoxically disrupt deep sleep due to increased core body temperature. Inactive and sedentary individuals, who often have impaired autonomic function compared to endurance-trained athletes, may be particularly susceptible to these negative effects, potentially resulting in compromised thermoregulation and exacerbated disruptions to deep sleep, a critical stage of sleep essential for overall recovery. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the impact of aerobic exercise performed in the late afternoon versus morning on: 1) deep sleep and sleep onset latency; and 2) core body temperature and its autonomic regulatory mechanisms on endurance-trained and inactive-sedentary people.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- This is a single-center, open-label, randomized controlled trial with two parallel crossover groups: * "Active" group * "Inactive-sedentary" group
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| "Inactive-sedentary" group | Active comparator | Other: Aerobic Exerciseinactive participants that realize 3 experimental conditions: evening exercise, morning exercise and control (no-exercise). |
| "Active" group | Experimental | Other: Aerobic Exerciseendurance athletes that realize 3 experimental conditions: evening exercise, morning exercise and control (no-exercise). |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 30 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Group "Inactive" :No regular exercise practice (inactive people that don't follow the WHO recommendations) and have sedentary behaviors
- Group "Active": Regular exercise (athletes that are specialized in aerobic exercise, with more than 300 minutes per-week over 6 months and practice at regional level).
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Have sleep disorders medically diagnosed or detected by sleep forms cutoffs (clinical insomnia by ISI, severe risk of obstructive sleep apnea by Stop-Bang, bad sleep quality by PSQI.
- Have a diagnosed mental health condition requiring treatment
- Have renal, respiratory, cardiovascular or neuromuscular disease medically diagnosed.
- Be pregnant or breastfeeding
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Aerobic ExerciseThe exercise consists of running on a treadmill at 90% of maximum aerobic speed (MAS) for 30 minutes, followed by 12% increments every 5 minutes, until exhaustion (a "time-to-exhaustion" type of exercise). | Other | "Active" group, "Inactive-sedentary" group |
Primary outcome
Duration of deep slow-wave sleep
Time frame: Once a month for 3 months
Evaluation of the duration of deep slow-wave sleep (N3 stage) quantified by the EEG signal from polysomnography (Nox A1, Resmed®, USA).
5 secondary outcomes
Assessment of core temperature
Time frame: Once a month for 3 months
Evaluation of autonomic nervous system thermoregulation
Time frame: Once a month for 3 months
Evaluation of autonomic nervous system thermoregulation
Time frame: Once a month for 3 months
Complementary sleep evaluation
Time frame: Once a month for 3 months
Complementary sleep evaluation
Time frame: Once a month for 3 months
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 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided. This study is realized only in St-Etienne university Hospital
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.
Frédéric ROCHE, PhD principal investigator
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint Etienne
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Aerobic Exercise in people with Healthy Endurance Athlet and Inactive People, run by Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint Etienne at 1 site in France.
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 2 inclusion and 4 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 3 Jun 2026. 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 France. 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 Frédéric ROCHE, PhD (0477828695 ext. 33, frederic.roche@univ-st-etienne.fr), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Duration of deep slow-wave sleep (time frame: Once a month for 3 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 2026.