•  
  •  
 

Abstract

Collegiate athletes experience physical and physiological demands that may impact sleep quality and mood and in turn affect performance. PURPOSE: This study examined the relationship between changes in sleep quality, mood, and body composition (BC) with performance outcomes in collegiate athletes throughout a season. METHODS: Thirty-eight National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II soccer and volleyball athletes (age: 20 ± 3 years) completed performance and BC testing pre- and post-season. BC was assessed by air-displacement plethysmography to determine body mass (BM), fat-free mass (FFM), and body fat (BF%). Power was assessed using maximal countermovement vertical jump (CMJ) with hands on hips (hoh) and arm swing (as) methods via a digital contact mat. Power was calculated using the Sayers equation. Aerobic capacity (VO2max) was assessed by a metabolic cart and treadmill-based graded exercise test. Prior to testing, athletes completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to determine poor sleep quality and the Multi-component Training Distress Scale (MTDS) to determine depressed moods, stress, fatigue, vigor, and physical sign and symptoms. This study was approved by the University’s Internal Review Board. Paired-samples t-tests assessed changes in performance, and Pearson correlations (r) determined associations between changes in MTDS components, PSQI, BC, and performance with an α=0.05. RESULTS: Athletes experienced declines in BM (−1.1±2.3 kg) and %BF (−1.9±2.6%), and improvements in CMJas (+2.6±4.6 cm), Powerhoh (+192.7±404.2 W), and VO2max (+4.2±3.7 mL/kg/min). No changes in CMJhoh, Poweras, or FFM (p>0.05). PSQI correlated with BM (r=0.41, p=0.03). Stress correlated with FFM (r=−0.48, p=0.01). BM was associated with Poweras (r=0.52, p=0.01). BF% was associated with Poweras (r=0.39, p=0.04) and Powerhoh (r=0.39, p=0.046). CONCLUSION: Aerobic capacity and power improved from pre- to post-season. Poor sleep quality and increased stress related to maladaptation in BC. Subjective evaluations of training distress may be useful to assess impaired recovery. These findings highlight the importance of employing subjective and objective athlete monitoring techniques that detect inadequate recovery and allow for early interventions to prevent declines in performance.

Download

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.