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University StudentsNCT07659171

Light Therapy for University Students

A study testing Light Glasses (Experimental) and Light Glasses (Comparison) in people with University Students and Sleep Problems, run by Reykjavik University at 1 site in Iceland.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The effects of light therapy on well-being among university students was investigated. A three-week intervention study examined whether the use of light glasses improved sleep quality and concentration and reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety among university students. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
University Students, Sleep Problems, Well-being
What is being tested?
Light Glasses (Experimental) and Light Glasses (Comparison)
Type of treatment
Medical device
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
39 participants
Where
1 siteIceland
Study dates
6 Mar 2019to 8 Apr 2019
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

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 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Being a psychology student at Reykjavik University, Iceland
  • Able to understand, read and write Icelandic
  • At screening assessment prior to the intervention, demonstrating a score of three or above on any of the six items of the BIS scale, thereby including students who showed even mild symptoms of sleep problems

Who cannot join

  • Not being a psychology student at Reykjavik University, Iceland
  • Not able to understand, read and write Icelandic
  • Demonstrating a score below three on all of the six items of the BIS scale

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Iceland1 site
  • Department of Psychology, Reykjavík University

    Reykjavik, 102

Other trials in Iceland

About this study

Official title: Effects of Light Therapy on Well-being of University Students: A Pilot Study

The effects of light therapy on well-being among university students was investigated. A three-week intervention study examined whether the use of light glasses improved sleep quality and concentration and reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety among university students. First, a questionnaire was administered to about 130 students to screen for sleep problems. Based on the responses, those with the most sleep problems were invited to participate in the intervention study, which resulted in 39 participants in total. Although studies of light therapy for sleep problems and depression among patients have yielded positive results, the use of light has not been studied much among healthy individuals. The intervention study used glasses that project light in two intensities and participants were randomized into two groups with different intensities of light. The aim of the study was to: a) compare the effects of different light intensities on sleep and concentration and b) investigate whether light therapy influences symptoms of depression and anxiety among university students. The study is expected to increase knowledge of light therapy among healthy individuals, and if the treatment proves successful, it is an easy and inexpensive way to increase well-being among university students.

Being tested
Light Glasses (Experimental), Light Glasses (Comparison)
Keywords
University students, Young adults, Light therapy, Sleep, Well-being, Intervention
Medical subject headings
Parasomnias, Depression, Anxiety Disorders

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Light Glasses (Experimental)Device

    The circadian-effective light glasses used by the experimental group (BL) emitted narrowband (peak lambda = 470 nm) blue light with an irradiance of 250 μW/cm2 (120 lux).

    The light glasses emit light from LEDs at a distance of 15 millimeters (15mm, 0.015.) from the eye. The device is classified as safe for the eyes in accordance with the international standard IEC 62471 and complies with the United States of America's FCC marking, and is designed to be worn on the participant's head, similar to a pair of regular glasses. For safety purposes, the light glasses do not contain UV or infra-red light.

    Brand: AYO glasses.

  • Light Glasses (Comparison)Device

    The circadian-ineffective sham glasses (DL) emitted blue light with an irradiance of 2.5 μW/cm2 (1.16 lux).

    The light glasses emit light from LEDs at a distance of 15 millimeters (15mm, 0.015.) from the eye. The device is classified as safe for the eyes in accordance with the international standard IEC 62471 and complies with the United States of America's FCC marking, and is designed to be worn on the participant's head, similar to a pair of regular glasses. For safety purposes, the light glasses do not contain UV or infra-red light.

    Brand: AYO glasses.

Study groups in NCT07659171
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Blue Light TherapyExperimentalExposure of experimental circadian-effective blue light (BL) by glasses for 30 minutes each morning during the 3-week intervention
Receives: Device: Light Glasses (Experimental)
Dim Light TherapyActive comparatorExposure of experimental comparison circadian-ineffective dim light (DL) by glasses for 30 minutes each morning during the 3-week intervention
Receives: Device: Light Glasses (Comparison)

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. The Bergen Insomnia Scale (BIS)

    The Bergen Insomnia Scale (BIS) is a short scale on sleep habits consisting of six items pertaining to sleep onset, maintenance, early morning wakening, restorative sleep, daytime functioning, and sleep satisfaction. Responses indicate how often sleep problems, according to the six items, are experienced during the last month on an 8-point scale (0-7 days per week) with a range between 0 and 42, where a higher score suggests more sleep problems.

    Measured: BIS was used to screen for sleep-related problems, prior to the intervention, at baseline (day 1), at the middle of intervention (FU1, day 11) and at the of intervention (FU2, day 21).

  2. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)

    The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) consists of 19 self-rated items about sleep habits during the last month. The questions are categorised into seven components, rated from 0 to 3, evaluating sleep duration, quality, and latency as well as habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, usage of sleep medication, and daytime dysfunction. A global PSQI score, ranging from 0 to 21, is calculated by summarising the seven components' scores, where a higher global score indicates worse sleep quality and a score above five suggests poor sleep quality.

    Measured: PSQI was administered at baseline (day 1), FU1 (day 11), and FU2 (day 21).

  3. Objective sleep measure by actigraphy: Total time in bed

    Wrist-worn actigraphy devices (model GT3X+ ActiSleep) were used to objectively measure sleep. Sleep parameters were calculated using the Cole-Kripke sleep algorithm in the ActiLife 6 data analysis software. Parameter measured: Total time in bed, measured as minutes.

    Measured: Participants were asked to wear the devices on their non-dominant arm for four consecutive days, both at baseline (day 1-4) and at FU2 (day 18-21).

  4. Objective sleep measure by actigraphy: Total sleep time

    Wrist-worn actigraphy devices (model GT3X+ ActiSleep) were used to objectively measure sleep. Sleep parameters were calculated using the Cole-Kripke sleep algorithm in the ActiLife 6 data analysis software. Parameter measured: Total sleep time, measured as minutes.

    Measured: Participants were asked to wear the devices on their non-dominant arm for four consecutive days, both at baseline (day 1-4) and at FU2 (day 18-21).

  5. Objective sleep measure by actigraphy: Sleep latency

    Wrist-worn actigraphy devices (model GT3X+ ActiSleep) were used to objectively measure sleep. Sleep parameters were calculated using the Cole-Kripke sleep algorithm in the ActiLife 6 data analysis software. Parameter measured: Sleep latency, measured as minutes.

    Measured: Participants were asked to wear the devices on their non-dominant arm for four consecutive days, both at baseline (day 1-4) and at FU2 (day 18-21).

  6. Objective sleep measure by actigraphy: Wake after sleep onset

    Wrist-worn actigraphy devices (model GT3X+ ActiSleep) were used to objectively measure sleep. Sleep parameters were calculated using the Cole-Kripke sleep algorithm in the ActiLife 6 data analysis software. Parameter measured: Wake after sleep onset, measured as minutes.

    Measured: Participants were asked to wear the devices on their non-dominant arm for four consecutive days, both at baseline (day 1-4) and at FU2 (day 18-21).

  7. Objective sleep measure by actigraphy: Number of awakenings

    Wrist-worn actigraphy devices (model GT3X+ ActiSleep) were used to objectively measure sleep. Sleep parameters were calculated using the Cole-Kripke sleep algorithm in the ActiLife 6 data analysis software. Parameter measured: Number of awakenings, measured as number of awakenings per sleep period.

    Measured: Participants were asked to wear the devices on their non-dominant arm for four consecutive days, both at baseline (day 1-4) and at FU2 (day 18-21).

  8. Objective sleep measure by actigraphy: Sleep fragmentation index

    Wrist-worn actigraphy devices (model GT3X+ ActiSleep) were used to objectively measure sleep. Sleep parameters were calculated using the Cole-Kripke sleep algorithm in the ActiLife 6 data analysis software. Parameter measured: Sleep fragmentation index, measured as percentage.

    Measured: Participants were asked to wear the devices on their non-dominant arm for four consecutive days, both at baseline (day 1-4) and at FU2 (day 18-21).

  9. Objective sleep measure by actigraphy: Sleep movement index

    Wrist-worn actigraphy devices (model GT3X+ ActiSleep) were used to objectively measure sleep. Sleep parameters were calculated using the Cole-Kripke sleep algorithm in the ActiLife 6 data analysis software. Parameter measured: Sleep movement index, measured as events per hour.

    Measured: Participants were asked to wear the devices on their non-dominant arm for four consecutive days, both at baseline (day 1-4) and at FU2 (day 18-21).

  10. Objective sleep measure by actigraphy: Sleep efficiency

    Wrist-worn actigraphy devices (model GT3X+ ActiSleep) were used to objectively measure sleep. Sleep parameters were calculated using the Cole-Kripke sleep algorithm in the ActiLife 6 data analysis software. Parameter measured: Sleep efficiency, measured as percentage.

    Measured: Participants were asked to wear the devices on their non-dominant arm for four consecutive days, both at baseline (day 1-4) and at FU2 (day 18-21).

Secondary outcomes (7)
  1. The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)

    The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is a 20 item self-report instrument, designed to measure common symptoms of depression that have occurred over the past week such as poor appetite, hopelessness, pessimism, and fatigue. Response options range from 0 to 3 for each item. Scores range from 0 to 60, with high scores indicating greater depressive symptoms.

    Measured: CES-D was administered at baseline (day 1), FU1 (day 11) and FU2 (day 21).

  2. General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7)

    General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) is a shorter version of the original GAD-13 item scale designed to measure anxiety. Each of the seven questions is rated on a 4-point Likert scale based on symptom frequency. The total score is calculated by summing the scores for all seven items, thus scores range from 0 to 21, with higer score meaning more anxiety. Cut-points are as follows: 0-4: Minimal anxiety, 5-9: Mild anxiety, 10-14: Moderate anxiety, and 15-21: Severe anxiety. A score of 10 or greater is often used as a clinical cut-off point.

    Measured: GAD-7 was administered at baseline (day 1), FU1 (day 11) and FU2 (day 21).

  3. The reduced Horne & Östberg Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (rMEQ)

    The reduced Horne \& Östberg Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (rMEQ) is a self-report questionnaire is one of the most widely used questionnaire to measure chronotype. The rMEQ consists of 5 questions that assess an individual's preference for morning or evening activities. Based on results from the scoring, individuals can be categorized as: Morning Types: Prefer morning activities; Evening Types: Prefer evening activities or Intermediate Types: Have no strong preference.

    Measured: rMEQ was administered at baseline (day 1).

  4. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS)

    The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) is widely used in sleep research and clinical settings and consists of 8 questions (each with 4 answering possibilities) about sleepiness. measure a person's likelihood of dozing off during various daily activities. ESS provides a score ranging from 0 to 24, with higher scores indicating excessive daytime sleepiness. In general ESS scores can be interpreted as follows: 0-5 Lower Normal Daytime Sleepiness; 6-10 Higher Normal Daytime Sleepiness; 11-12 Mild Excessive Daytime Sleepiness; 13-15 Moderate Excessive Daytime Sleepiness; and 16-24 Severe Excessive Daytime Sleepiness.

    Measured: ESS was administered at baseline (day 1), FU1 (day 11) and FU2 (day 21).

  5. Objective measures of cognitive performance: Operation Span (Ospan)

    Three neuropsychological tests were used to measure cognitive performance: Operation Span (Ospan) is a cognitive task designed to measure working memory capacity by requiring participants to remember sequences of letters while simultaneously solving simple math problems. This dual-task approach assesses how well individuals can manage their memory resources under distraction.

    Measured: Ospan was administered at baseline (day 1) and FU2 (day 21).

  6. Objective measures of cognitive performance: Digit span forward

    Three neuropsychological tests were used to measure cognitive performance: Digit span forward is a cognitive task where a person listens to a sequence of numbers and then repeats them back in the same order. This task primarily measures short-term auditory memory and is commonly used in psychological assessments to evaluate working memory capacity.

    Measured: Digit span forward was administered at baseline (day 1) and FU2 (day 21).

  7. Objective measures of cognitive performance: Digit span backward

    Three neuropsychological tests were used to measure cognitive performance: Digit span backward is a cognitive task that measures short-term memory by requiring participants to recall a sequence of numbers in reverse order. This task is more challenging than recalling the numbers in the original order, as it involves both storage and manipulation of the information.

    Measured: Digit span backward was administered at baseline (day 1) and FU2 (day 21).

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted22 Jun 2026
  2. Study start6 Mar 2019
  3. Primary completion8 Apr 2019
  4. Study completion8 Apr 2019

Resources

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
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Double blind
Who is masked
Participant, Investigator
Enrolment
39 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07659171
Sponsor's protocol ID
VSN-19054
Status last verified
Jun 2026
First submitted
29 May 2026
Last updated
25 Jun 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
Yes: IPD will be shared upon reasoned requests.

Publications

  • Danielsson K, Sakarya A, Jansson-Frojmark M. The reduced Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire: Psychometric properties and related factors in a young Swedish population. Chronobiol Int. 2019 Apr;36(4):530-540. doi: 10.1080/07420528.2018.1564322. Epub 2019 Jan 7.

    PubMed 30614272
  • Radloff, L. S. (1977). The CES-D Scale: A Self-Report Depression Scale for Research in the General Population. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1(3), 385-401. doi:10.1177/014662167700100306

  • Johns MW. A new method for measuring daytime sleepiness: the Epworth sleepiness scale. Sleep. 1991 Dec;14(6):540-5. doi: 10.1093/sleep/14.6.540.

    PubMed 1798888
  • Spitzer RL, Kroenke K, Williams JB, Lowe B. A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: the GAD-7. Arch Intern Med. 2006 May 22;166(10):1092-7. doi: 10.1001/archinte.166.10.1092.

    PubMed 16717171
  • Buysse DJ, Reynolds CF 3rd, Monk TH, Berman SR, Kupfer DJ. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index: a new instrument for psychiatric practice and research. Psychiatry Res. 1989 May;28(2):193-213. doi: 10.1016/0165-1781(89)90047-4.

    PubMed 2748771
  • Pallesen S, Bjorvatn B, Nordhus IH, Sivertsen B, Hjornevik M, Morin CM. A new scale for measuring insomnia: the Bergen Insomnia Scale. Percept Mot Skills. 2008 Dec;107(3):691-706. doi: 10.2466/pms.107.3.691-706.

    PubMed 19235401

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Light Glasses (Experimental) and Light Glasses (Comparison) in people with University Students and Sleep Problems, run by Reykjavik University at 1 site in Iceland.

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: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 25 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 Iceland. 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?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

The Bergen Insomnia Scale (BIS) (time frame: BIS was used to screen for sleep-related problems, prior to the intervention, at baseline (day 1), at the middle of intervention (FU1, day 11) and at the of intervention (FU2, day 21).). The study lists 10 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 NCT07659171, which also lists 6 linked publications.

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 25 Jun 2026.

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