What is the SLUMBRx Study?In recent years, scientists have discovered that unhealthy sleeping patterns and higher body weights are linked to heart disease and diabetes. The health information we collect from you as part of the SLUMBRx study will help us better understand how sleep and body composition influence these life-threatening conditions. We will collect medical information from you at our state-of-the-art Kinesiology Research Laboratory located at the University of Alabama. Your overnight sleep information will be collected from the comfort of your own home using special equipment. In addition to receiving a free copy of your health results, you will be compensated $200 for your participation in the SLUMBRx study. Use the Enroll Now button or QR code below to enroll in SLUMBRx today!
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Welcome to the SLUMBRx Study Website! Questions? Contact Dr. Adam Knowlden, Principal Investigator of the SLUMBRx Research Project
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Lab Location & Parking
The first part of SLUMBRx will take place at the Kinesiology Laboratory at the University of Alabama.
The Kinesiology Lab is located on the 2nd floor of Wade Hall. Designated parking for research participants and the entrance to Wade Hall is located at 620 Judy Bonner Dr. Please note, Wade Hall used to be called Moore Hall and the lettering on the outside of the building may still say Moore Hall at the time of the SLUBMRx study. Kinesiology Laboratory Physical Address: The University of Alabama Wade Hall 620 Judy Bonner Dr. Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 GPS MAP TO WADE HALL: https://map.concept3d.com/?id=1222#!m/324785 Parking for Research Study Participants: Please park in the designated parking spot reserved for research study participants. The designated parking spot is highlighted in yellow in the picture of Wade Hall on this Web Page. GPS MAP TO PARKING FOR RESEARCH STUDY PARTICIPANTS: https://map.concept3d.com/?id=1222#!m/320998 Once you park, please meet Dr. Knowlden near the entrance to Wade Hall that faces Judy Bonner Dr. (highlighted in yellow in the picture of Wade Hall). When you arrive, a member of the SLUMBRx team will give you a parking pass that you can place on your vehicle dashboard. |
Kinesiology Laboratory Physical Address:
The University of Alabama,
Wade Hall, 620 Judy Bonner Dr.,
Tuscaloosa, AL, 35401
Please park in the designated parking spot (outlined in yellow). Once you arrive at Wade Hall, Dr. Knowlden will meet you outside of the building by the set of double doors facing Judy Bonner Dr. (outlined in yellow)
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What Information Do Participants Share?
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Your Rights and Consent to Participate
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Your Privacy and Safety Are Our #1 Concern
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How the SLUMBRx Study Works
The SLUMBRx study requires collecting health information from you in the Kinesiology Laboratory at the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa) main campus and also from your home. The full SLUMBRx study is a little over one-week long. It includes:
The lab-based component is around 2 hours and involves:
The home-based component is seven nights long and includes a 30-minute exit meeting. This part of the study involves:
Total monetary compensation of the study is $200 and is pro-rated based on completing ALL health screenings and answering ALL survey questions. Total value of the study including receiving free health tests and monetary compensation is $700.
- A visit to the Kinesiology Lab at the University of Alabama for a health screening (2 hours).
- Health information collected in the comfort of your home (7 nights).
- A follow-up visit with Dr. Adam Knowlden at the University of Alabama to receive your compensation and health reports (30 minutes).
The lab-based component is around 2 hours and involves:
- Air Displacement Plethysmography (BODPOD) for determining your body composition (your body fat percentage, body water, and the amount of muscle you carry). We will also use a tape measure to measure your various body dimensions such as your waist, hips, and neck. We will also use body fat calipers to measure your body fat percentage. The goal of these measurements is to better understand how sleep interacts with body composition.
- Please note, we will attempt to gender-match you for the body composition portion of this study; however, this is not always possible. If you are a male and feel uncomfortable removing your shirt, or you are female and feel uncomfortable with a male researcher taking your measurements, you may wish to re-consider enrolling in this study.
- Pulse Wave Velocity which involves using ultrasound on your arm to examine your heart health and blood pressure to better understand how it interacts with sleep.
- Fingerstick to get a drop of your blood from your index finger to test cholesterol and blood sugar levels. We are collecting these biomarkers to better understand how sleep affects metabolism.
- You will be compensated $100 for the lab-based component of the study. The costs of the health screenings ($200 value) will be covered at no cost to you. You will receive a free copy of the lab reports.
- You will not need to pay for parking when you visit the Kinesiology Lab.
The home-based component is seven nights long and includes a 30-minute exit meeting. This part of the study involves:
- Returning all equipment to Dr. Knowlden at the University of Alabama. Parking will be covered. A 30-minute meeting will be scheduled to check that all data are completed as well as to provide you with copies of all your test results. Compensation will be provided during this meeting.
- Wearing a FitBit on your wrist to measure sleep and a small device on your thigh (called an inclinometer) so we can tell when you are sitting down (we will use this to help us study your sleep). Both of these devices are waterproof and can be kept on the entire time of the study.
- Logging on to Hypknowledge every day of the study to complete a sleep diary entry and to sync your FitBit. Both of these activities take approximately 2-5 minutes to complete.
- Using an home sleep apnea test kit (one night). The company Bioserenity will work with you to use this equipment.
- Completing a battery of 5 questionnaires (1 hour per battery of questionnaires).
- Please note, some of the surveys ask questions about your income, sexual health, and substance use. Even though we have taken several measures to ensure your confidentiality, we understand that some people may feel uncomfortable answering questions about these topics. If this describes you, you may want to re-consider your participation in this study. Sleep interacts with a number of health issues and this information is important for us to better understand how to develop future sleep health programs.
- You will be compensated $100 for this part of the study. The costs of the home-based health tests will be covered (approximately $200 value) and you will receive a copy of your test results.
Total monetary compensation of the study is $200 and is pro-rated based on completing ALL health screenings and answering ALL survey questions. Total value of the study including receiving free health tests and monetary compensation is $700.
Step 1: Complete Screening Survey.
Interested? Click the "Enroll Now!" button or use the QR Code at the top of this page to take the SLUMBRx screening survey.
To enroll in SLUMBRx we are looking for the following types of people:
We cannot enroll you in SLUMBRx if you have any of the following conditions:
We are grouping SLUMBRx participants by their body mass index, which is based on height and weight. If you are interested in enrolling, we recommend you act quickly because even if you meet all the study criteria, if a particular body mass index group is filled, we cannot enroll you. Once you complete the screening survey, we will contact you if you meet the criteria and there are still spots available. When we contact you, we will also set up your appointment with Dr. Knowlden (see Step 2 below).
To enroll in SLUMBRx we are looking for the following types of people:
- 18 years of age or older
- Living in Tuscaloosa County (Alabama)
- Currently employed
- Currently operate a motor vehicle
- Reliable home Internet, e-mail, and mobile phone number for sending text messages
- Access to a personal computer, laptop, or tablet
- Permanent home address
- Committed to completing full study
We cannot enroll you in SLUMBRx if you have any of the following conditions:
- Pregnant
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Using a CPAP machine to treat sleep apnea
- Taking sleeping pills prescribed by a doctor
We are grouping SLUMBRx participants by their body mass index, which is based on height and weight. If you are interested in enrolling, we recommend you act quickly because even if you meet all the study criteria, if a particular body mass index group is filled, we cannot enroll you. Once you complete the screening survey, we will contact you if you meet the criteria and there are still spots available. When we contact you, we will also set up your appointment with Dr. Knowlden (see Step 2 below).
Step 2: SLUMBRx Study On-Boarding.
Step 3: Complete Lab-Based Portion of the Study.
For the first part of the study, please schedule your appointment with Dr. Knowlden. Currently, we are running the study on Wednesday mornings between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. Please plan for 2 hours of total time meeting with Dr. Knowlden and collecting your health data at the lab. The day you schedule to meet Dr. Knowlden should be the first day you plan to start your participation in the SLUMBRx study. The home component of the study takes one week.
During your initial visit, Dr. Knowlden will cover the study consent process with you as well as provide you with the details of the study. Next, Dr. Knowlden will set you up with the company, BioSerenity. BioSerenity will work with you to conduct your overnight home sleep apnea test. Finally, he will walk you to the Kinesiology lab to collect your body composition data, blood droplet, and blood pressure. He will also schedule your follow-up appointment to return the study equipment and process your payment for participating in the SLUMBRx study.
For the BODPOD (tests body composition), Cholestech (tests cholesterol and glucose), blood pressure (tests blood flow), and pulse wave (tests heart health) it is important that you:
During your initial visit, Dr. Knowlden will cover the study consent process with you as well as provide you with the details of the study. Next, Dr. Knowlden will set you up with the company, BioSerenity. BioSerenity will work with you to conduct your overnight home sleep apnea test. Finally, he will walk you to the Kinesiology lab to collect your body composition data, blood droplet, and blood pressure. He will also schedule your follow-up appointment to return the study equipment and process your payment for participating in the SLUMBRx study.
For the BODPOD (tests body composition), Cholestech (tests cholesterol and glucose), blood pressure (tests blood flow), and pulse wave (tests heart health) it is important that you:
- Arrive fasted. It is important that you do not eat on the day you visit the lab. You may bring a snack for after you finish the study.
- Do not consume caffeine or alcohol on the day of your appointment.
- Do not smoke or ingest tobacco products 2 hours before your appointment.
- Do not engage in strenuous exercise the day before your appointment or the day of your appointment.
- Please wear or bring a short-sleeve t-shirt and shorts.
- One of the wearable devices must be affixed to your upper thigh using band-aid-type material, so we recommend you wear shorts so we can assist you with attaching the device.
- The BODPOD is located in a private room where you will be able to change your clothing.
- Form-fitting single layer/tight-fitting Lycra ©/spandex swimsuit like Speedo ©.
- Compression bike-style shorts (with NO padding) similar to Under Armour © type shorts.
- Form-fitting single layer swimsuit in either one or two-piece. Must be of Lycra ©/Spandex © style similar to Speedo ©.
- Compression bike-style shorts (with NO padding) or volleyball-style shorts and sports bra with no padding or wires.
Spandex / Compression Clothing for BODPOD.
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Step 4: Complete Home-Based Portion of the Study.
Wearable devices:
- For the at-home portion of the study you will wear a FitBit as well as a thigh activity monitor to help monitor your sleep. Both of these devices are waterproof and non-invasive, so we ask that you please leave them on until your follow-up appointment with Dr. Knowlden.
- We will also ask you to log-on to Hypknowledge every day of the study to complete a sleep diary entry and to sync your FitBit. Both of these activities take approximately 2-5 minutes to complete. The Hypknowledge smart phone app is still under development; as such, you must use a personal computer (PC), laptop, or tablet to log-on to the Web-Based App and complete the daily sleep diary and FitBit sync.
- Finally, there are a battery of questionnaires we will ask you to complete over the duration of the week. There are a total of 5 questionnaires. Each questionnaire takes approximately 30-60 minutes to complete and can be taken on your smart phone.
Home Sleep Apnea Testing:
- Dr. Knowlden will set you up with the company, Bioserenity. They will work with you to complete a one-night sleep apnea home testing kit. They will ship the kit to you and provide you with return postage. As well, they will send text message reminders and updates about your test. Bioserenity staff are available by phone to help you with any customer service issues at: 877-753-3776 (if calling after hours, press "5" to speak to a clinician).
Step 5: Attend Follow-Up Appointment with Dr. Knowlden.
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Once you have finished the study, please plan to meet with Dr. Knowlden at Russell Hall on the University of Alabama main campus. The home-based portion of the SLUMBRx study runs for one-week, with the lab-portion taking place on Wednesday and the home-based portion starting on Thursday at 12:00 AM and finishing the following Thursday at 12:00 AM, with the final sleep data collected Friday morning. We are scheduling follow-up appointments with Dr. Knowlden on Thursday and Friday, following the last day you participate in the SLUMBRx study.
During your meeting with Dr. Knowlden, please plan to:
Parking for Research Study Participants: During your initial visit, you will be given a parking pass that you may place on your dash board to use during your meeting with Dr. Knowlden to park close Russell Hall at no cost to you. Please park in the designated parking lot (outlined in yellow). As this parking lot is surrounded by churches, its nickname is the "God Quad." GPS MAP TO "GOD QUAD" PARKING LOT: https://map.concept3d.com/?id=1222#!m/320815 Please use the cross walk at University Blvd. and Hackberry Ln. to access Russell Hall. Once you arrive, Dr. Knowlden will meet you outside the double doors of Russell Hall facing University Blvd. (marked with a yellow "X") and will escort you to his office. Russell Hall Physical Address: The University of Alabama Russell Hall 504 University Blvd. Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 GPS MAP TO RUSSELL HALL: https://map.concept3d.com/?id=1222#!m/324815 |
Russell Hall Physical Address:
The University of Alabama
Russell Hall
504 University Blvd.
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
Please use the cross walk at University Blvd. and Hackberry Ln. to access Russell Hall.
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Meet the SLUMBRx Team...
Clockwise, from left to right: Adam P. Knowlden, PhD (PI); John C. Higginbotham, PhD; James Geyer, MD; Michael A. Grandner, PhD; Michael R. Esco, PhD; Michael V. Fedewa, PhD; John P. Allegrante, PhD; Hayley V. MacDonald, PhD; Lee J. Winchester, PhD.
