The Effect of Sleep Caps on Sleep and Physiological Parameters in Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

February 21, 2026 updated by: Esra Bozkurt, Aydin Adnan Menderes University

The Effect of Wearing a Sleep Cap on the Sleep and Physiological Variables of Infants Hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Randomized Controlled Experimental Study

This study is a randomized controlled experimental trial designed to evaluate the effects of a researcher-developed sleep cap on the sleep and physiological variables of infants hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Sleep is a fundamental requirement for human physiological and psychological well-being. It is neurobiologically vital for brain development, neuroplasticity, motor and language development, learning, and memory. Newborns spend most of their time sleeping, and sleep is the primary behavioral state in the brain development of the newborn. Studies have shown that when newborn sleep is not preserved, neurobiological development, cognitive growth, and academic achievement are negatively affected in later stages of life.

Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs), unlike the intrauterine environment, are stressful settings with bright lights, noise, and painful stimuli. These adverse stimuli negatively affect sleep, physiological parameters, growth, development, and the length of hospital stay. In NICUs, premature infants whose many systems are not yet fully developed are often treated. Therefore, preterm infants, in particular, need greater protection against the negative effects of the intensive care environment.

The literature contains many studies emphasizing the importance of preserving infants' sleep. However, it has been observed that there is no tool designed to simultaneously reduce the light and noise to which infants in intensive care are exposed, while also establishing a light-dark cycle to promote and preserve circadian rhythm development. In response to this need, researchers have developed a sleep cap. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of using this newly developed sleep cap on the sleep and physiological variables of infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
53

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Efeler
      • Aydin, Efeler, Turkey (Türkiye)
        • Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Faculty of Nursing, Department of Child Health and Disease Nursing

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Newborns who are over 32 weeks gestation and are hospitalized in the NICU
  • Newborns stable in room air conditions

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Premature infants birth under 32 weeks
  • Newborns receiving phototherapy treatment
  • Newborns receiving respiratory support
  • Newborns with congenital anomalies
  • Newborns receiving medication that affects sleep (such as caffeine)
  • Newborns with sepsis
  • Newborns with congenital diseases
  • Newborns with diseases affecting the central nervous system

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
No Intervention: Control group
Demographic characteristics, clinical findings, and physiological variables (heart rate, respiratory rate, saturation value, and body temperature) of the infants in the control group were recorded. Newborns in the control group underwent clinical routines for three days, and uninterrupted video recordings were made between 7:00 PM and 7:00 AM. The newborns' sleeping and waking times, as well as the reasons for waking, were recorded. The video recordings were viewed and evaluated by both the researcher and an independent expert (pediatrician) from the study.
Experimental: Sleep caps group:Newborns in the experimental group were fitted sleep caps
Demographic characteristics, clinical findings, and physiological variables (heart rate, respiratory rate, saturation value, and body temperature) of the infants in the study group were recorded. The newborns in the study group were fitted with sleeping hats for three days between 7:00 PM and 7:00 AM, and the hats were removed when they woke. 12 hours of uninterrupted video recording was conducted during this time. The newborns' sleeping and waking times, as well as the reasons for waking, were recorded. The video recordings were viewed and evaluated by both the researcher and an independent expert (pediatrician) from the study.
Other: Wearing a Sleep Cap
Demographic characteristics, clinical findings, and physiological variables (heart rate, respiratory rate, saturation value, and body temperature) of the infants in the study group were recorded. The newborns in the study group were fitted with sleeping caps for three days between 7:00 PM and 7:00 AM, and the caps were removed when they woke. 12 hours of uninterrupted video recording was conducted during this time. The newborns' sleeping and waking times, as well as the reasons for waking, were recorded. The video recordings were viewed and evaluated by both the researcher and an independent expert (pediatrician) from the study.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Infant's Night Sleep Duration
Time Frame: For three days, between 19:00 and 07:00.
The duration (in minutes) of continuous sleep between 19:00 and 07:00 was determined by watching video recordings from three days of monitoring. For each monitoring day, the average sleep duration (in minutes) over a 12-hour period (19:00-07:00) was determined.
For three days, between 19:00 and 07:00.
Number of Nighttime Awakenings of the Infants
Time Frame: For three days, between 19:00 and 07:00
During three monitoring days, the number of times the ınfant woke up between 19:00 and 07:00 was determined by watching video recordings. For each monitoring day, the number of awakenings in a 12-hour period (19:00-07:00) was determined.
For three days, between 19:00 and 07:00
Heart Rate
Time Frame: For three days, between 19:00 and 07:00
The infants' heart rate (beats per minute) was monitored using bedside monitors. For each monitoring day, a 12-hour average heart rate (beats per minute) was recorded (between 19:00 and 07:00).
For three days, between 19:00 and 07:00
Respiratory Rate
Time Frame: For three days, between 19:00 and 07:00
The respiratory rate (respiratory rate/minute) of the infants was monitored using bedside monitors. For each monitoring day, the average respiratory rate (respiratory rate/minute) was taken over 12 hours (between 19:00 and 07:00).
For three days, between 19:00 and 07:00
Oxygen saturation
Time Frame: For three days, between 19:00 and 07:00
Oxygen saturation (%) of infants was monitored with bedside monitors. For each monitoring day, the 12-hour (between 19:00 and 07:00) average oxygen saturation was taken (%).
For three days, between 19:00 and 07:00
Body Temperature
Time Frame: For three days, between 19:00 and 07:00
The infant's body temperature (°C) was measured with a thermometer suitable for infants. For each monitoring day, the 12-hour average body temperature (between 19:00 and 07:00) was taken (°C).
For three days, between 19:00 and 07:00

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Aydin Adnan Menderes University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 1, 2020

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
March 31, 2021

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
March 31, 2021

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
December 9, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 13, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
February 20, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
February 24, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 21, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • Experimental Study 2019/158

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Datasets that are continuously and/or analyzed during the current study can be obtained from the author upon request.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

6 months after publication

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

It must be relevant to the subject of the study and approval from all co-authors must be obtained within 1 month of receiving the request.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • CSR

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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