Extending sleep time can improve endurance performance, according to the first study of its kind published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
The health detriments of short sleep are clear—it has beenbenefits of shuteye? Funny thing is that though numerous studies have examined the benefits of regularly getting more sleep on ball and skill sports like football, basketball, and tennis, they haven’t really put endurance athletes to the test…until now.a group of exercise scientists from Australia and Singapore examined the effects of both sleep extension and restriction across three nights on endurance cycling performance.
For the endurance tests, the riders had to perform time-trials, pedaling until they achieved a set amount of work designed to simulate what they would produce during an hour-long time trial. The athletes reported the same rating of perceived exertion—the time trial felt just as hard—regardless of their sleep status. However, their mood and “psychomotor vigilance” both improved with more sleep and were hindered by sleep restriction.The authors concluded that “cumulative sleep time affects performance by altering the perceived exertion of a given exercise intensity.”
Can’t swing more than eight hours in the sack on a regular basis? No sweat. Though the riders’ performance increased, their sleep quality and efficiency took a bit of a dip during the week of sleep extension, which indicates that a lesser amount of sleep extension would likely do the trick, says study author Spencer Roberts, Ph.D. candidate at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Pan Bagnat with Fennel RecipeThis sandwich gets better and better the longer it sits (okay, to a point); assemble it after breakfast and eat it when you’ve worked up an appetite.
Read more »
It’s Labor Day weekend: Here’s what Trump has done for workersThe record is mixed — and the good parts may not really have happened because of him, writes Tim Mullaney.
Read more »
HuffPost is now a part of Oath
Read more »
Want to Give Your Fitness a Boost? Here Are 11 Science-Backed Ways to Do ItWhether you want to beat your marathon PR or simply be able to do a 5K without stopping, runners of all levels are always looking for ways to improve their performance.
Read more »