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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Sleep Sci 2019; 12(04): 279-286
DOI: 10.5935/1984-0063.20190093
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Sleep, energy disturbances and pre-competitive stress in female traveller athletes

Maria-Raquel G. Silva
1   Faculty of Health Sciences, University Fernando Pessoa, Oporto, Portugal. Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. Scientific Commission of the Gymnastics Federation of Portugal, Lisbon - Portugal, Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal, Scientific Commission of the Gymnastics Federation of Portugal, Lisbon - Portugal.
,
Teresa Paiva
2   CENC, Sleep Medicine Center, Sleep Medicine - Lisbon - Portugal.
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Background: Gymnasts of high performance level are submitted to a demanding competitive schedule, which can negatively affect their circadian rhythm, sleep, appetite and pre-competitive stress. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate sleep, body composition, pre-competitive stress and energy in elite female athletes just before a World Cup and potential sleep risks according to the travelled distance by athletes in order to compete.

Methods: Sixty-seven rhythmic gymnasts of high performance level were evaluated in order to collect training and competition data, daytime sleepiness (DS) by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, sleep quality (SQ) by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, precompetitive anxiety by the Sport Competition Anxiety Test-A and dietary intake prior to a World Cup.

Results: Gymnasts suffering from severe DS had worse scores in the competition than those who reported normal DS (p=0.004). In addition, gymnasts with severe DS reported reduced SQ (p=0.014) and showed high levels of precompetitive stress (p<0.01). Gymnasts with reduced SQ demonstrated great DS (p=0.014) and high levels of precompetitive stress (p=0.010).

Conclusions: Gymnasts demonstrated disordered sleep and precompetitive stress. Athletes who travelled long distances to compete presented high risk for short sleep duration, abnormal DS and reduced SQ.

Sleep - Stress, Psychological - Energy - Athlete - Travel

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Ethical Committee of the Medical Faculty of Lisbon approval was obtained.




Publication History

Received: 25 January 2019

Accepted: 22 October 2019

Article published online:
31 October 2023

© 2023. Brazilian Sleep Association. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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