Sleep Hygiene and Light Exposure Can Improve Performance Following Long-Haul Air Travel

Nov 5, 2020International journal of sports physiology and performance

Better sleep habits and light exposure can improve performance after long-distance air travel

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Abstract

Participants receiving a combined light exposure and sleep hygiene intervention showed a very likely improvement in countermovement jump peak power after long-haul travel.

The intervention group exhibited a very likely increase in countermovement jump peak power (effect size 1.10, ±0.55) compared to the control group.
Likely improvements in sprint times were observed for both 5-m (0.54, ±0.67) and 20-m (0.74, ±0.71) distances in the intervention group.
Sleep duration was most likely longer in the intervention group during travel (1.61, ±0.82) and across the four nights after travel (1.28, ±0.58) compared to the control group.
Perceived mood and motivation levels were likely worse in the control group compared to the intervention group across the four days following travel.

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PURPOSE: To assess the efficacy of a combined light exposure and sleep hygiene intervention to improve team-sport performance following eastward long-haul transmeridian travel.

METHODS: Twenty physically trained males underwent testing at 09:00 and 17:00 hours local time on 4 consecutive days at home (baseline) and the first 4 days following 21 hours of air travel east across 8 time zones. In a randomized, matched-pairs design, participants traveled with (INT; n = 10) or without (CON; n = 10) a light exposure and sleep hygiene intervention. Performance was assessed via countermovement jump, 20-m sprint, T test, and Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Level 1 tests, together with perceptual measures of jet lag, fatigue, mood, and motivation. Sleep was measured using wrist activity monitors in conjunction with self-report diaries.

RESULTS: Magnitude-based inference and standardized effect-size analysis indicated there was a very likely improvement in the mean change in countermovement jump peak power (effect size 1.10, ±0.55), and likely improvement in 5-m (0.54, ±0.67) and 20-m (0.74, ±0.71) sprint time in INT compared with CON across the 4 days posttravel. Sleep duration was most likely greater in INT both during travel (1.61, ±0.82) and across the 4 nights following travel (1.28, ±0.58) compared with CON. Finally, perceived mood and motivation were likely worse (0.73, ±0.88 and 0.63, ±0.87) across the 4 days posttravel in CON compared with INT.

CONCLUSIONS: Combined light exposure and sleep hygiene improved speed and power but not intermittent-sprint performance up to 96 hours following long-haul transmeridian travel. The reduction of sleep disruption during and following travel is a likely contributor to improved performance.

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Sleep Hygiene and Light Exposure Can Improve Performance Following Long-Haul Air Travel

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