Effect of Sleep Extension on Ceramides in People with Overweight and Obesity

A randomized controlled trial with real-world sleep extension in adults with overweight and obesity who habitually obtain short sleep duration will be conducted. Group allocation will be 1:1 and research staff and participants will be blinded until the conclusion of the baseline segment. The sleep extension group will receive counseling and instruction to increase nightly time in bed by 2 hours per night. Participants randomized to control will maintain their habitual sleep habits in their home environment. The intervention segment will last 8 weeks regardless of group assignment. Both groups will have equal contact time with the study team. Prior to enrollment participants will complete a clinical overnight sleep disorders screening. Baseline consists of an \~1-week ambulatory real-world monitoring segment. Following baseline, participants will be randomized 1:1 to either the sleep extension or control group for 8 weeks at home (intervention segment). Throughout the study, sleep duration will be monitored using an actiwatch wrist-device and a daily electronic sleep log. Following the baseline and intervention segments participants will complete rigorous overnight laboratory visits to assess plasma ceramides (targeted metabolomics assay) and insulin sensitivity (hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp).