Effects of Simulated Short‐Haul Flights on Sport‐Specific Performance, Sleep, and Psychophysiological Responses in Football Players

The effects of two short-haul air travel (SHAT) of different durations on sport-specific performance, sleep, and psychophysiological indices in highly trained football players were examined. Nineteen participants completed, in a randomized order, two simulated SHAT, 1 week apart, each lasting 4 h and 2 h, followed by a control condition (CON). Generic (10-m sprint, repeated sprint ability; RSA, countermovement jump; CMJ), sport-specific performance (Hoff Test, Loughborough Soccer Passing Test; LSPT), and psychophysiological responses (sleep, heart rate variability [HRV], salivary cortisol and immunoglobulin-A [sIgA], and perceptual recovery) were evaluated before (Baseline) and after each condition. Compared to Baseline, RSA and 10-m sprint declined by 3.5% and 6%, respectively, on the day after travel (D + 1) (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01). Likewise, CMJ and total distance covered during the Hoff test decreased by 5.5% at D + 1 (p < 0.001). LSPT performance decreased only after the 4 h flight (p < 0.05). Total sleep time was reduced the night before SHAT (p < 0.001) compared to Baseline. sIgA was reduced on the day of the travel (DT) and D + 1 after both SHAT, while HRV was decreased at DT only after the 4 h SHAT (p < 0.05). Mood states remained unaffected by travel, regardless of duration. We currently suggest that short-haul air travel, whether 4 or 2 h, induces psychophysiological perturbations and performance deterioration, likely due to the travel restrictive conditions and the inadequate sleep obtained the night before the flight. Since both flights were conducted early in the morning, more research is warranted to investigate the role of departure time on football performance.