Effect of Sleep Timing and Duration on Hormonal Responses and Physiological Fatigue Threshold in Elite Wrestlers

This study examines the relationship between sleep quality, hormonal concentrations and anaerobic performance in elite athletes. Thirty athletes received a TST, REM, and NREM sleep improvement sleep intervention. The confounding variables that were studied included cortisol, testosterone, and sport performance measures (i.e., lactate and fatigue resistance). After CBT and MCT, significant changes were found in sleep quality, including increases in TST and REM sleep and a small decrease in NREM sleep. Hormonal measurements evidenced a decrease in cortisol levels and an increase in testosterone levels after the intervention. What is more, the athletes exhibited improved anaerobic performance in that their lactate thresholds were significantly higher and they fatigued less. Strong relationships were found between changes in sleep quality and hormonal status, indicating that sleep improvement itself may enhance performance. Results emphasize the relevance of sleep for recovery and performance enhancement for athletes, and indicate that sleep interventions should be considered as an integral part of training programs, in order to improve athletic performance to its fullest potential. The research adds further evidence of the role of sleep as part of the athletic performance-support package.