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NCT Number: NCT07570472

The Effect of CBD on Sleep Quality Following Late Evening Exercise

The trial is a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design. In a randomized order, 20 participants undergo one control and two experimental sessions separated by a 1-week wash out period. During the no exercise/rest session, participants' sleep is monitored via polysomnography following a rest day. During the training sessions participants' sleep is monitored following a high intensity interval training (HIIT) in the late evening (finishing 1h prior to bedtime). During these sessions participants receive 2x 200mg CBD or placebo in a randomized order.

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Key information

Age range

18 year–40 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 2

Primary location

Bakala Athletic Performance Facility

Leuven, Vlaams-Brabant, 3001, Belgium

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Prof. Koppo

CONTACT

[email protected]

+32 16 37 26 80

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Voluntary written informed consent of the participant or their legally authorized representative has been obtained prior to any screening procedures
  • Use of highly effective methods of birth control during the entire trial and for up to 4 months after the last dose of CBD; defined as those that, alone or in combination, result in low failure rate (i.e., less than 1% per year) when used consistently and correctly; such as implants, injectables, combined oral contraceptives, some IUDs, true sexual abstinence (i.e. refraining from heterosexual intercourse during the entire period of risk associated with the Trial treatment(s)) or commitment to a vasectomised partner.
  • Age between 18-40 years old at the time of signing the Informed Consent Form (ICF)
  • Recreationally active (between 2-8h/wk)
  • Good health status confirmed by a sport medical screening
  • Body fat percentage below 20% (males) or 25% (females) as estimated by a Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan
  • Good sleep efficiency determined by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI, score ≤ 4)

Exclusion criteria

  • Self-reported sleep disturbances
  • Habitual smoking (> 1 occasion/month)
  • Any kind of injury/incapability that is a contra-indication to perform high intensity interval training
  • Female who is pregnant, breast-feeding or intends to become pregnant or is of child-bearing potential and not using an adequate, highly effective contraceptive. A woman is considered of childbearing potential (WOCBP), i.e. fertile, following menarche and until becoming post menopausal unless permanently sterile. Permanent sterilisation methods include hysterectomy, bilateral salpingectomy and bilateral oophorectomy.
  • Participation in another interventional Trial with an investigational medicinal product (IMP) or device
  • Use of CBD related products 3 months prior to the start of the experimental trial (including CBD oil, cannabis or other substances containing cannabinoids)
  • Intake of any medication or nutritional supplement that influences sleep quality 3 months prior to the start of the experimental trial
  • Shift workers or extreme morning and evening chronotypes (scores between 16-30 or 70-86 on the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ))

Treatment and study plan

Cannabidiol or placebo

Drug

participants receive 2 x 200mg CBD or placebo

late evening exercise

Behavioral

Participants perform a late evening high-intensity interval training (HIIT) ending 1 hour prior to sleep

Primary outcomes

  1. sleep efficiency

    Time frame: Nightly assessment on three specific study nights, separated by 7-day intervals

    the primary outcome of the current study is the parameter sleep efficiency (SE = time asleep (min) / time in bed (min)) measured by PSG

Secondary outcomes

  1. Sleep indices (other than sleep efficiency)

    Time frame: Nightly assessment on three specific study nights, separated by 7-day intervals

    These outcomes include sleep period time (SPT), wake after sleep onset (WASO), total sleep time (TST), sleep onset latency (SOL), sleep maintenance efficiency (SME), amount of time in sleep stages (N1, N2, N3, REM, NREM), slow waves, sleep spindles

  2. Perceived sleep quality

    Time frame: Assessment on three specific study mornings, separated by 7-day intervals

    Participants complete the St. Mary's Hospital questionnaire to evaluate their subjective sleep quality from the previous night

  3. Circulating hormones involved in sleep and stress

    Time frame: Assessment on three specific study nights, separated by 7-day intervals

    Circulating hormones such as growth hormone, melatonin and cortisol are measured

  4. Plasma and urinary catecholamines (adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine) and serotonin concentration

    Time frame: Assessment on three specific study nights, separated by 7-day intervals

    Plasma catecholamines (adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine) and serotonin concentration is measured in blood samples collected 30 minutes prior to sleep, and in urine samples collected during the night.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

KU Leuven

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
May 6, 2026
Registry last updated
May 6, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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