Longer Nap Duration During Ramadan Observance Positively Impacts 5-m Shuttle Run Test Performance Performed in the Afternoon

Effects of a 40-min nap on performance following evening exercise before, during, and after Ramadan fasting

This study examined the effect of a 40-min nap (N40) the day after a night session of the Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test (LIST), before, during and after Ramadan. In a randomized crossover design, fifteen male soccer players completed the LIST in the evening (2100h), followed by either a N40 or no nap (N0) the next day, at 1400h. Performance on the 5-m shuttle run test (5mSRT), digit cancellation test (DCT), and subjective measures (i.e., sleepiness, rating of perceived exertion, and muscle soreness) were assessed at 1700h. During Ramadan, 5mSRT and DCT performance decreased compared to before Ramadan in the N0 condition (p<0.05). However, N40 improved 5mSRT and DCT performance across all periods compared to N0 (p<0.05). In conclusion, a 40-min of nap opportunity is an effective strategy for improving physical and cognitive performance during and following Ramadan after a bout of exercise the previous night.    .

Is daytime napping an effective strategy to improve sport-related cognitive and physical performance and reduce fatigue? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the association between daytime napping and cognitive and physical sport performance and fatigue after normal sleep and partial sleep deprivation (less sleep duration than necessary).

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

DATA SOURCES

The PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Central, SportDiscus and PsycINFO databases.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES

Randomised controlled trials on the effect of daytime napping on sport performance and fatigue available from inception to 2 December 2022. Standardised mean differences (SMD) and their 95% compatibility intervals (CI) were estimated with the DerSimonian-Laird method through random effect models.

RESULTS

In the 22 included trials, 291 male participants (164 trained athletes and 127 physically active adults) aged between 18 and 35 years were studied. When performed after a normal night of sleep, napping from 12:30 hours to 16:50 hours (with 14:00 hours being the most frequent time) improved cognitive (SMD=0.69, 95% CI: 0.37 to 1.00; I²=71.5%) and physical performance (SMD=0.99, 95% CI: 0.67 to 1.31; I²=89.1%) and reduced the perception of fatigue (SMD=-0.76, 95% CI: -1.24 to -0.28; I²=89.5%). The positive effects of napping were also confirmed after partial sleep deprivation. Overall, the benefits were higher with a nap duration between 30 and <60 min and when the time from nap awakening to test was greater than 1 hour.

CONCLUSIONS

After a night of normal sleep or partial sleep deprivation, a daytime nap between 30 and <60 min has a moderate-to-high effect on the improvement of cognitive performance and physical performance and on the reduction of perceived fatigue.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42020212272.

A Thirty-Minute Nap Enhances Performance in Running-Based Anaerobic Sprint Tests during and after Ramadan Observance

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a 30 min nap (N30) on the Running-Based Anaerobic Sprint Test (RAST) both during and after Ramadan. Ten physically active kickboxers (age: 21.20 ± 1.61 years, height: 174.80 ± 4.34 cm, body mass: 73.30 ± 7.10 kg and body mass index (BMI): 24.00 ± 2.21 kg/m²) voluntarily performed the RAST test after an N30 and in a no-nap condition (NN) during two experimental periods: the last ten days of Ramadan (DR) and ∼3 weeks after Ramadan (AR). During each DR-NN, DR-N30, AR-NN and AR-N30 protocol, kickboxers performed RAST performance. A statistically significant difference was found between Ramadan periods (DR vs. AR) in terms of max power (W) (F = 80.93; p₁ < 0.001; η²_p = 0.89), minimum power (W) (F = 49.05; p₁ < 0.001; η²_p = 0.84), average power (W) (F = 83.79; p₁ < 0.001; η²_p = 0.90) and fatigue index (%) results (F = 11.25; p₁ = 0.008; η²_p = 0.55). In addition, the nap factor was statistically significant in terms of the max power (W) (F = 81.89; p₂ < 0.001; η²_p = 0.90), minimum power (W) (F = 80.37; p₂ < 0.001; η²_p = 0.89), average power (W) (F = 108.41; p₂ < 0.001; η²_p = 0.92) and fatigue index (%) results (F = 16.14; p₂ = 0.003; η²_p = 0.64). Taking a daytime nap benefits subsequent performance in RAST. The benefits of napping were greater after an N30 opportunity for DR and AR.