Houston, we have a sleep problem: WSU melatonin test will help astronauts slumber in space

Astronauts might get a good night of sleep in space with a new test developed at Washington State University.

The test strip will allow spacefarers and other late-shift workers to track their melatonin, a hormone that tells the body to go to sleep when the brain believes it to be nighttime. That sense of biological nighttime can be off when someone is trying to sleep in space.

"In space, there is no normal day. Astronauts often have disrupted sleep. Our test will help them monitor and manage their biological clock," said WSU researcher Annie Du.

Melatonin can be difficult to track because of its low levels in the bloodstream. Previously, melatonin tests would require blood be sent to a central lab - impractical for those working in space.

Funded partially by NASA, the new test gets a reading of melatonin within 10 minutes from a pinprick of blood on a paper strip . Du likened the test to rapid COVID tests used during the pandemic.

"The standard method took a few days of transportation and several hours to get the result. This strip is simple, low cost, inexpensive and quick," Du said.

The manufacturing cost of the new test is $2, which is much cheaper than tests that require lab work.

Once the blood is on a specialized paper strip, a 3D-printed smartphone reader will detect nanoparticles of melatonin that have been made fluorescent.

Knowing when melatonin levels rise and fall will allow astronauts to track when their body believes it is nighttime. Because there is no traditional day and night in space, it is difficult to determine when it is nighttime.

When the body's biological clock is disrupted, it interferes with optimal brain functioning. Through the test, astronauts can schedule high-stress work around the times their body doesn't believe it is bedtime. The tests can also be used in connection with treatment of sleep disorders.

Du believes the test strips will have many other applications outside of space travel. Being able to monitor the body's day-night cycle should be useful to any worker on a nightshift or those who work for many hours at a time.

"I see many potential applications. This could be used for military personnel or doctors and nurses or workers with odd shifts. It is also useful for anyone with sleeping disorders or chronic illness related to their sleep," she said.

The research is the latest in a series of simple test-strip-and-smartphone systems Du has created for monitoring health conditions, including one that allows firefighters to quickly check their wildfire smoke exposure .

Still going through validation trials, Du anticipates it will be several years before the melatonin test reaches the public. She hopes the technology can be used to create a continuous melatonin monitoring system, akin to glucose monitoring systems used by people with diabetes.

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This story was originally published April 21, 2026 at 8:19 AM.