A influência da viagem na qualidade do sono, estresse-recuperação e atenção em atletas de futebol universitário

Abstract

Sleep is an essential process for providing the body restoration and homeostatic rebalancing of athletes. In addition to physiological functions, its role is also clear in endocrine and immune functions and cognitive performance equally. However, a possible effect of the trip can change the sleep patterns of athletes with implications on stress-recovery and attention, as well as the relationship between these variables. The purpose was to analyze the travel effect in sleep quality, stress-recovery and attention in college football athletes. The sample consisted of 16 athletes from college football, males, who responded to questionnaires (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index - PSQI; Chronotype Assessment Horne and Ostberg and RESTQ-Sport) and performed the Continous Performance Task (CPT). There was a high score (up to 5 points) in the PSQI in two moments. This result suggests a poor sleep quality. When comparing the pre and post-trip, of each variable, there were significant differences only in the General Recovery scales and Specific Recovery. There was a moderate and inverse association between sleep quality and chronotype scores in the pre-trip condition. In the post-trip condition, there was a proportional inversely and moderate correlation between sleep quality and correct response percentage of selective attention. Furthermore, there was also a directly proportional and moderate correlation between the chronotype and the percentage of correct answers of phasic alert. Therefore, these results contradict our hypothesis, especially about the stress levels that were higher after the trip and impaired attentional performance. Future studies with larger samples and using a control group are relevant to try to confirm the evidence of a possible travel effect.