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Social Experiences and Sleep Study

The Effects of Social Experiences on Sleep and Cardiovascular Functioning

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03937973
Acronym
SASE
Enrollment
139
Registered
2019-05-06
Start date
2019-04-09
Completion date
2025-05-31
Last updated
2025-11-06

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Blood Pressure, Sleep

Keywords

sleep, heart, stress

Brief summary

This study will test the effect of race-based social rejection on polysomnography derived sleep outcomes and nocturnal cardiovascular psychophysiology in a sample of 80 African Americans and 80 Caucasian Americans. The investigators will test group differences on these outcomes as well as within subjects by testing impact of rejection compared to a non-rejection control night in the sleep laboratory.

Detailed description

African Americans (AA) are disproportionally burdened by cardiovascular disease compared to Caucasian Americans (CA). Poor sleep, which is more common among AA, may serve as an important pathway in understanding these disparities. Race-based rejection has been cross-sectionally related to poor sleep and negative cardiovascular outcomes. To test the links between social experiences and sleep, participants will spend two nights in the sleep laboratory. One night will be a control night where participants complete low arousal tasks prior to bedtime. On a second night, the investigators will randomize 80 AA and 80 CA to either race-based social rejection (i.e., being rejected by an out-group member) or same-race social rejection prior to bedtime to test the causal influences of race-based rejection on objective sleep parameters, measured using polysomnography, and nocturnal cardiovascular functioning. The investigators will test group differences on these outcomes as well as within subjects by testing impact of rejection compared to a non-rejection control night in the sleep laboratory. The order of the control and rejection task night will be counterbalanced.

Interventions

Social rejection paradigm

Sponsors

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
CollaboratorNIH
University of California, San Francisco
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
FACTORIAL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)

Masking description

Participants will be blind to condition until the debriefing, which occurs the morning following the social-rejection task.

Intervention model description

All participants will complete two nights in the sleep laboratory. One night will be a non-rejection control night. The other night will be a rejection task night. In this regard, African American and Caucasian American participants will be randomized to one of two conditions. All participants will be exposed to social rejection prior to bedtime; however, they will either be rejected by a person of their own race (in-group member) or a different race (out-group member)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 64 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Age: 18 to 64 years old * Self-identified as African American/Black or Caucasian American/White * English speaking, able to provide consent * Self-reported bedtime between 10PM and 12AM for 5/7 nights for the past 3 months (stability to be confirmed by sleep diary and wrist actigraphy). * Self-reported sleep duration between 6.5 and 8.5 hours for 5/7 nights for the last month (duration to be confirmed by actigraphy and sleep diary)

Exclusion criteria

* Body mass index of 40 or above * Participants at high risk for obstructive sleep apnea, based on high risk score from the STOP-Bang. * Medical or psychiatric condition, as assessed by self-report and clinical interview that affect sleep and/or cardiovascular functioning, including doctor diagnosed arrhythmia, hypertension, congestive heart failure, major depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder. * Medication use that is likely to affect sleep and/or cardiovascular functioning, including antidepressants, anxiolytic or soporific medication, and beta-blockers.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in sleep onset latency, as determined by polysomnographyAssessed on the night of the social rejection task and compared to the control task night; it is anticipated that these nights will take place consecutivelySleep onset latency is the time (in minutes) from lights out to sleep onset on the nights following the social rejection task and the control task laboratory to onset of sleep, as measured via polysomnography

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in total sleep time, as determined by polysomnographyAssessed on the night of the social rejection task and the night of the control task; it is anticipated that these nights will take place consecutivelyTotal number of minutes scored as sleep, measured via polysomnography on the nights following the social rejection task and the control task
Change in pre-ejection period (PEP) in response to rejection taskBaseline to Post-rejection task, anticipated average of 30 minutesPre-ejection period is measured via impedance cardiography, averaged over a 5-minute baseline period and in the minutes during the rejection task
Change in minutes of wake after sleep onset (WASO), as determined by polysomnographyAssessed on the night of the social rejection task and the night of the control task; it is anticipated that these nights will take place consecutivelyNumber of minutes awake once sleep is initiated, measured via polysomnography on the nights following the social rejection task and the control task
Change in nocturnal heart rate variabilityAssessed on the night of the social rejection task and the night of the control task; it is anticipated that these nights will take place consecutivelyHeart rate variability is measured via EKG, beginning at lights out and collected across the night following the rejection task and control task; it is anticipated that the two nights will occur consecutively.
Change in nocturnal pre-ejection periodAssessed on the night of the social rejection task and the night of the control task; it is anticipated that the two nights will occur consecutivelyPre-ejection period will be measured by impedance cardiography, beginning at lights out and collected across the night following the rejection task and control task; it is anticipated that the two nights will occur consecutively.
Change in heart rate variability (HRV) in response to rejection taskBaseline to Post-rejection task, anticipated average of 30 minutesHeart rate variability is measured via EKG, averaged over a 5-minute baseline period and in the minutes during the rejection task

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026