Variations in Elite Female Soccer Players' Sleep, and Associations With Perceived Fatigue and Soccer Games

Abstract

The current study investigated the associations between female perceived fatigue of elite soccer players and their sleep, and the associations between the sleep of players and soccer games. The sample included 29 female elite soccer players from the Norwegian national soccer team with a mean age of ~26 years. Perceived fatigue and sleep were monitored over a period of 124 consecutive days. In this period, 12.8 ± 3.9 soccer games per player took place. Sleep was monitored with an unobtrusive impulse radio ultra-wideband Doppler radar (Somnofy). Perceived fatigue was based on a self-report mobile phone application that detected daily experienced fatigue. Multilevel analyses of day-to-day associations showed that, first, increased perceived fatigue was associated with increased time in bed (3.6 ± 1.8 min, p = 0.037) and deep sleep (1.2 ± 0.6 min, p = 0.007). Increased rapid eye movement (REM) sleep was associated with subsequently decreased perceived fatigue (−0.21 ± 0.08 arbitrary units [AU], p = 0.008), and increased respiration rate in non-REM sleep was associated with subsequently increased fatigue (0.27 ± 0.09 AU, p = 0.002). Second, game night was associated with reduced time in bed (−1.0 h ± 8.4 min, p = <0.001), total sleep time (−55.2 ± 6.6 min, p = <0.001), time in sleep stages (light: −27.0 ± 5.4 min, p = <0.001; deep: −3.6 ± 1.2 min, p = 0.001; REM: −21.0 ± 3.0 min, p = <0.001), longer sleep-onset latency (3.0 ± 1.2 min, p = 0.013), and increased respiration rate in non-REM sleep (0.32 ± 0.08 respirations per min, p = <0.001), compared to the night before the game. The present findings show that deep and REM sleep and respiration rate in non-REM sleep are the key indicators of perceived fatigue in female elite soccer players. Moreover, sleep is disrupted during game night, likely due to the high physical and mental loads experienced during soccer games. Sleep normalizes during the first and second night after soccer games, likely preventing further negative performance-related consequences.

Sleepiness among Professional, Semi Professional and Students Chinese Soccer Players in the Shanghai Lockdown

“…Females' soccer players were found more sensitive to performance evaluation by coaches and peers [32] and more at risk for anxiety and depression than males [45] and to have shorter sleep-in comparison to other professional's sport female athletes [46]. In normal conditions, the sleep disruption is likely to be caused by the high physical and mental loads experienced during soccer games [47]. Sleep modification in normal conditions shows an association of deep and REM sleep with fatigue with increased restoring sleep two to three days after match an a pre-match reduction in sleep length [47].…”

“…In normal conditions, the sleep disruption is likely to be caused by the high physical and mental loads experienced during soccer games [47]. Sleep modification in normal conditions shows an association of deep and REM sleep with fatigue with increased restoring sleep two to three days after match an a pre-match reduction in sleep length [47]. Our results are also consistent with another study, who showed in Italian female professional soccer players in lockdown an increase in depressive symptoms and a sleep worsening [48].…”

Daytime sleepiness in Chinese professional, semi professional and students soccer players in the Shanghai lockdown

“…Females’ soccer players were found more sensitive to performance evaluation by coaches and peers [ 35 ] and more at risk for anxiety and depression than males [ 52 ] and to have shorter sleep-in comparison to other professional’s sport female athletes [ 53 ]. In normal conditions, the sleep disruption is likely to be caused by the high physical and mental loads experienced during soccer games [ 54 ]. Sleep phases changes during night in an alternate way from light to deep and rem sleep [ 55 ] Sleep modification in normal conditions (not in exceptional circumstances such as lockdowns) shows an association of deep and REM sleep with fatigue with increased restoring sleep two to three days after match, a pre-match reduction in sleep length [ 54 ].…”

“…In normal conditions, the sleep disruption is likely to be caused by the high physical and mental loads experienced during soccer games [ 54 ]. Sleep phases changes during night in an alternate way from light to deep and rem sleep [ 55 ] Sleep modification in normal conditions (not in exceptional circumstances such as lockdowns) shows an association of deep and REM sleep with fatigue with increased restoring sleep two to three days after match, a pre-match reduction in sleep length [ 54 ]. The results of the present study are in agreement with another study, who showed in Italian female professional soccer players an increase in depressive symptoms and a sleep worsening during the lockdown [ 55 ].…”

The effect of bio-electro-magnetic-energy-regulation therapy on sleep duration and sleep quality among elite players in Norwegian women’s football

“…Nevertheless, the players train according to the various game demands in the different positions. Female football players are therefore exposed to a constant struggle to optimize the balance between the extensive load they are exposed to, and the recovery needed to keep fresh without reducing fitness ( Fullagar et al, 2015 ; Moen et al, 2021 ).…”