Effects of a 30 min nap opportunity on cognitive and short-duration high-intensity performances and mood states after a partial sleep deprivation night

ABSTRACT

This study evaluated the effects of partial-sleep-deprivation (SDN) and a 30 min nap opportunity on physical and cognitive performances and mood states. Fourteen physically active students (BMI = 232.8 ± 0.4 kg/m²) performed the reaction time, the number cancellation (i.e., assessing vigilance) and the 5-m shuttle run tests and responded to the Profile of Mood States (POMS-f) questionnaire at 18h00 after a normal-sleep (NSN) and a SDN) and after two nap conditions (Nap and no-Nap) realized between 13h00 and 13h30. Vigilance and the reaction time were better after Nap compared to no-Nap opportunity following NSN and SDN and during NSN compared to SDN only during no-Nap. Total and peak distance during the 5-m shuttle run test were higher and the fatigue index was lower during Nap compared to no-Nap condition after NSN and SDN and during NSN compared to SDN during Nap and no-Nnap. Anxiety, fatigue, confusion, and depression were lower and vigour was higher during Nap compared to no-Nap after NSN and SDN and during NSN compared to SDN during Nap and no-Nap. In conclusion, a 30-min of nap opportunity helps to overcome the negative effect of SDN on mood states as well as physical and cognitive performances.

KEYWORDS:

• Sleep
• nap
• alertness
• repeated sprint
• sport

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to express their sincere gratitude to all the participants who patiently provided their time and effort, thus allowing the successful completion of the study.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no known conflict of interest with this study or its results and do not endorse any commercially available product used in this investigation.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

No funding was provided that contributed to the development of this manuscript.