Impact of Long-Haul Travel to International Competition on Sleep and Recovery in Elite Male and Female Soccer Athletes

Sleep Patterns During Pre-Competition Training Phase: A Comparison Between Male and Female Collegiate Swimmers

Purpose

While there is a rising focus on sleep issues among athletes, a notable gap exists in the comparative analysis of sleep patterns between male and female athletes. This study aims to evaluate the sleep patterns of collegiate swimmers during a specific period (pre-competition training phase) based on the National Sleep Foundation's recommendations and compares sleep differences between males and females.

Patients and Methods

15 swimmers (6 males and 9 females) completed the Athlete Sleep Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) and wore actigraphy devices for 8 consecutive nights to record objective sleep patterns including bedtime, wake time, sleep onset latency, total sleep time, wake after sleep onset, and sleep efficiency.

Results

The total sleep time of collegiate male (5.0±0.4 h, 4.6 to 5.4h) and female (6.0±0.7 h, 5.5 to 6.5h) swimmers was less than 7 hours per night, and male swimmers' sleep efficiency (76.7±8.9%, 67.4 to 86.0%) was lower than the 85% standard. Male swimmers had less objectively measured sleep duration (p=0.006, d=1.66, large effect), lower sleep efficiency (p=0.013, d=1.51, large effect), and longer wake after sleep onset (p=0.096, d=0.94, moderate effect). Female swimmers had higher sleep difficulty scores (p=0.06, d=1.08, moderate effect), and there was a significant difference in the distribution of sleep difficulty scores between male and female swimmers (p=0.033, V=0.045, small effect).

Conclusion

Collegiate swimmers exhibited poor sleep patterns during pre-competition preparation, and the sleep fragmentation of male swimmers was more pronounced. There were sex differences in both subjective and objective measured sleep patterns, with male swimmers having less sleep and low efficiency, while female swimmers experienced more significant sleep disturbances.

Menstrual Cycle and Situational Match Variables: Effects on Well-Being in Professional Female Soccer Players

Purpose: We examined whether the situational match factors (location, result, and opposition quality), as well as playing position and menstrual cycle phase, influenced self-reported well-being in female soccer players. Methods: Twenty-two professional players (25 ± 5 years) from a squad in the Women's Super League in England self-reported their menstrual cycle phase via an online survey, and their soreness, sleep, stress, mood, and fatigue on a 1 (positive) to 5 (negative) scale on the morning of match day (MD) and for the next 3 days (referred to as MD + 1, MD + 2, MD + 3, respectively). Data was collected for 26 matches across the 2021-2022 season. Session rate of perceived exertion (sRPE) and total distance covered (measured with GPS) were measured on match and training days. Results: Menstrual cycle phase and the situational match factors had no influence on distance covered during matches and sRPE (p > .05). Sleep was worse on MD + 1 (p < .001; g = 1.59) and MD + 2 (p = .005; g = 0.98) after away matches. Stress and mood were > 28% worse after playing top vs. mid and bottom table opposition at MD + 1, and significantly worse when losing compared to winning and drawing (p > .05). Playing position and menstrual cycle phase has no influence on self-reported well-being (p > .05). Conclusion: Sleep quality was worse after away matches and losing matches negatively affects stress and mood for 2 days post-match, but menstrual cycle phase does not influence post-match well-being.