Sleep and stress hormone responses to training and competition in elite female athletes |
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| Authors: | Shannon O’Donnell Steve Bird Gregory Jacobson Matthew Driller |
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| Institution: | 1. Health, Sport and Human Performance, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand;2. Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic Netball, Hamilton, New Zealand;3. Science and Engineering, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand |
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| Abstract: | Stress hormone and sleep differences in a competition versus training setting are yet to be evaluated in elite female team-sport athletes. The aim of the current study was to evaluate salivary cortisol and perceptual stress markers during competition and training and to determine the subsequent effects on sleep indices in elite female athletes. Ten elite female netball athletes (mean?±?SD; age: 23?±?6 years) had their sleep monitored on three occasions; following one netball competition match (MATCH), one netball match simulation session (TRAIN), and one rest day (CONTROL). Perceived stress values and salivary cortisol were collected immediately pre- (17:15 pm) and post-session (19:30 pm), and at 22:00 pm. Sleep monitoring was performed using wrist actigraphy assessing total time in bed, total sleep time (TST), efficiency (SE%), latency, sleep onset time and wake time. Cortisol levels were significantly higher (p?p?p?
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| Keywords: | Sport gender exercise performance |
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