Abstract
The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of sleep quality in cognitive domains of perceptual ability after exhausting exercise in adolescent and adult athletes. Eighty-six male professional soccer players were included in our study and divided into two groups: adolescents (age: 17.3 ± 0.2 yrs, body mass: 68.9 ± 7.9 kg, body fat: 9.9 ± 3.6 %) versus adults (age: 26.3 ± 5.2 yrs, body mass: 76.5 ± 7.2 kg, body fat: 10.3 ± 3.1 %). For each athlete, prior to cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), anthropometric and morphological characteristics were recorded and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire was answered. Immediately after CPET, all athletes underwent the perceptual ability test (PATest) for 30 sec and the sum of hits (rep/30 sec) and the time between a visual stimulus and the following stimulus (mean reaction time; RT, sec) were recorded. Oxygen uptake in maximal effort and in anaerobic threshold showed differences between hits (P=0.037) and RT (P=0.025). The variable of PSQI questionnaire “had bad dreams” showed correlation with hits (P=0.021) and RT (P=0.011) and the RT showed correlation with variables “cannot breathe comfortably” (P=0.041) and “...enthusiasm to get things done” (P=0.041). Adolescents showed poorer sleep quality (PSQI score: 5.7 ± 3.6 vs. 2.4 ± 2.6) compared to adults and slower reaction time (0.9 ± 0.1 vs. 0.8 ± 0.1 sec, P=0.029) compared to adolescent athletes with PSQI score ≥5.5. The variable of PSQI score in adolescents is related to HR in maximal effort (r = −0.364, P=0.032) and in adults is related to speed (r = −0.335, P=0.016). Perceptual ability, which requires sustained attention, vigilance, and motor coordination, is often negatively affected by restricted sleep, especially in adolescents.
Highlights
Soccer is one of the most popular team sports practiced around the world
Elite male soccer players practice on a daily basis, often twice a day, play one or two matches per week, and take part in national and/or international tournaments [1]. is schedule requires well developed physical, mental, and physiological characteristics [1] and optimal recovery to reduce the risk of transitioning into a state of excessive fatigue as well as to reduce the risk of injury [2]
Athletes with poor sleep quality and quantity have higher levels of confusion compared to athletes reporting better sleep, while the athletes who usually lose in team Journal of Sports Medicine sports have higher levels of tension and confusion before the game [7]
Summary
Soccer is one of the most popular team sports practiced around the world. During the season, elite male soccer players practice on a daily basis, often twice a day, play one or two matches per week, and take part in national and/or international tournaments [1]. is schedule requires well developed physical, mental, and physiological characteristics [1] and optimal recovery to reduce the risk of transitioning into a state of excessive fatigue as well as to reduce the risk of injury [2]. In high level athletes, is affected by the kind of sport, the type of exercise, the training frequency, psychobiological mechanisms, and chronotype [3]. Athletes with poor sleep quality and quantity have higher levels of confusion compared to athletes reporting better sleep, while the athletes who usually lose in team. Perceptual functions, as a whole, have not been adequately studied in relation to exercise and sleep characteristics. To this end, we designed this study to investigate the effect of sleep quality in several cognitive components of perceptual ability after exhausting exercise between adolescents and adults. We hypothesized that quality and quantity of sleep could affect the fitness indicators and parameters of perceptual ability
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