Sleep Characteristics in Esport Players and Associations With Game Performance: Residual Dynamic Structural Equation Modeling

The impact of videogames on the mood of amateur youth players during consecutive games

Introduction

Esports have experienced tremendous growth in recent years. In the scientific field, previous research has shown the determining role of psychology in competitive performance, but little is known about the factors that may be more determinant. In addition, in the amateur field, where fun and enjoyment are the most important factors, it has been observed that players can see their psychological state altered due to different factors, but it is not known if the outcome of the game (win or lose) can be influential. For this reason, the aim of the present investigation was to analyze changes in players' mood between three consecutive games as a function of the outcome of each game.

Methods

A total of 14 amateur players participated in the research, all of them with previous experience and being regular League of Legends players. The participants completed the POMS questionnaire before the start of each game and the outcome of each game was recorded at the end.

Results

The results showed that no significant pre-game differences were found in any of the games, regardless of winning or losing. Significant differences were found in the pre-game mood between the first and second game, according to the outcome of the first game, and between the second and third game, according to the outcome of the second game. Between the first and second games, there was a significant increase in depression (p = 0.038) and anger (p = 0.003) when the first game was lost; and between the second and third games, there was a decrease in tension (p = 0.003) and anger (p = 0.022) when the second game was won. In addition, it should be noted that fatigue increased significantly after each game, regardless of the outcome, and with respect to the change in mood, this was more noticeable when the first game was lost and the second was won, as significant changes were observed in tension (p = 0.028), depression (p = 0.030) and anger (p = 0.006).

Conclusion

Pre-match mood does not influence post-match performance, but mood changes do occur between successive matches depending on the outcome of the match.

Nutrition, lifestyle, and cognitive performance in esport athletes

Introduction

Electronic sports, termed esports, is a growing athletic activity in which high levels of attention and cognitive performance are required. With its increasing popularity and competitiveness, interest in strategies to improve performance have emerged. Improving esports athlete performance, namely cognitive endurance, and resilience, may lie in nutritional or lifestyle factors. The Nutrition, Vision, and Cognition in Sport Studies (IONSport) investigated nutritional and behavioral factors that can influence cognition via 3-dimensional multiple objects tracking test (3DMOT) via Neurotracker X (NTx) software. The purpose of this study was to characterize the lifestyle of high level esports athletes with detailed nutrition, sleep, and physical activity assessments, and their association to gaming related cognitive performance.

Methods

103 male and 16 elite female esports athletes aged 16 to 35 years old completed surveys, food records, and cognitive testing sessions over 10 days. Participants were instructed to maintain their normal dietary and lifestyle habits.

Results

There were positive significant associations between average NTx scores and the following nutrients: magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, sodium, zinc, selenium, thiamin, niacin, vitamins B6 and B12, folate, cholesterol, saturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated fats, omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, and choline. Majority of participants did not meet recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) for these micronutrients nor the recommended intakes for dairy, fruit, and vegetables. There was a significant (p = 0.003) positive (r = 0.272) association between total vegetable intake and average NTx score. There was a significant negative association (p = 0.015) with our final sustain session, which measured cognitive resilience, and the Stanford Sleepiness Scale score. Repeated measures analysis was done with these groups over the 18 core NTx sessions. There were significant (p = 0.018) differences between the two groups with those who consumed the recommended amount of protein or more performing significantly better on NTx over the 18 sessions than those that did not consume enough protein. Those who consumed the recommended intakes for riboflavin, phosphorous, vitamin B12, and selenium performed significantly better over the 18 core NTx sessions than those that did not meet the recommended amounts.

Discussion

The need for a nutrition intervention that is rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals is warranted in this population.