Extended Sleep Maintains Endurance Performance Better than Normal or Restricted Sleep

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Sleep Science
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• The impact of cumulative sleep duration on endurance performance is not fully understood.
• Optimizing sleep is crucial for athletic recovery and performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of three consecutive nights of sleep extension (SE) and sleep restriction (SR) on endurance cycling performance.

Main Methods:

• Nine endurance cyclists/triathletes underwent a counterbalanced crossover study with SR, normal sleep (NS), and SE conditions.
• Sleep was monitored via actigraphy; endurance time-trials (TT), mood, and psychomotor vigilance were assessed.
• Participants experienced a 30% reduction (SR), normal (NS), or 30% extension (SE) in sleep time over three consecutive nights.

Main Results:

• Sleep extension (8.2-8.6h) and restriction (4.7-4.9h) significantly altered total sleep time compared to normal sleep (6.5-7.1h).
• Time-trial performance was slower after SR and faster after SE compared to NS.
• Sleep restriction worsened mood and psychomotor vigilance, while sleep extension improved vigilance.

Conclusions:

• Three nights of sleep extension enhance endurance performance maintenance compared to normal or restricted sleep.
• Sleep restriction negatively impacts endurance performance, potentially by altering perceived exertion.
• Endurance athletes are advised to achieve over 8 hours of sleep per night for optimal performance.