Sleep
Conditions
Keywords
Recovery strategies, fatigue, sport, youth athletes
Brief summary
This study investigated the effects of nocturnal compression garments on sleep quantity and quality in young elite male soccer players. Eighteen players participated in a randomized controlled crossover protocol conducted over four consecutive weeks. During the first week, participants completed a control condition without wearing compression garments. During the following three weeks, they completed three experimental conditions in randomized order: full compression leggings, compression calf sleeves, and non-compressive placebo garments. Each condition was performed for seven consecutive nights. Objective sleep parameters were assessed using actigraphy, while subjective sleep quality was evaluated using validated self-report measures. Training load, perceptual factors, pre-sleep nutrition, and nocturnal thermal conditions were monitored and controlled to limit potential confounding factors. The primary objective was to determine whether nocturnal compression garment use affects sleep quantity and quality in young elite soccer players.
Detailed description
This randomized controlled crossover study was conducted in young elite male soccer players from a professional soccer club academy to investigate the effects of nocturnal compression garments on sleep quantity and quality. The study was conducted over four consecutive weeks. During the first week, all participants completed a baseline control condition without wearing any garment during the night. This baseline condition was always performed first and was not randomized. During the following three weeks, participants completed three garment conditions in a randomized order: full-length compression leggings, compression calf sleeves, and non-compressive placebo garments. Each condition was maintained for seven consecutive nights. Participants were instructed to put on the assigned garment approximately two hours before bedtime, wear it throughout the night, and remove it after waking. The placebo garment was designed to provide a similar wearing experience without applying meaningful compression. Sleep was assessed objectively using wrist actigraphy and subjectively using self-reported sleep measures. Objective sleep variables included total sleep time, time in bed, sleep latency, sleep efficiency, and the number of nocturnal awakenings. To limit potential confounding factors, external and internal training loads, perceived stress, fatigue and muscle soreness, pre-sleep nutritional intake, and nocturnal thermal conditions were monitored throughout the experimental period. The study was conducted under standardized living and training conditions within the professional soccer academy environment.
Interventions
OTHERCompression Leggings
Participants wore fullcompression leggings from approximately two hours before bedtime until waking for seven consecutive nights.
OTHERCompression Calf Sleeves
Participants wore compression calf sleeves from approximately two hours before bedtime until waking for seven consecutive nights.
OTHERPlacebo
Participants wore visually similar non-compressive placebo garments from approximately two hours before bedtime until waking for seven consecutive nights.
Sponsors
Universite de Picardie Jules Verne
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Masking description
Participants were blinded to the compressive or non-compressive nature of the garments. The initial no-garment baseline condition was not blinded.
Intervention model description
All participants first completed a one-week baseline control condition without garments. Participants subsequently completed three one-week garment conditions (compression leggings, compression calf sleeves, and placebo garments) in a randomized crossover order.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
No minimum to 18 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Residence at the professional soccer academy throughout the study period. * Abstinence from tobacco and alcohol throughout the study period. * No caffeine intake within 12 hours before bedtime. * Absence of sleep deficit at inclusion. * Absence of illness at inclusion.
Exclusion criteria
* Sustaining an injury during the study period. * Exposure to a training load substantially different from that of the rest of the group. * Development or presence of a sleep deficit during the study period. * Failure to consume the standardized evening meal provided at the academy cafeteria. * Consumption of caffeine, tobacco, or alcohol during the study period. * Removal of the assigned garment or actigraphy device during the night.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Total Sleep Time | Assessed nightly during each 7-night condition | — |
| Time in Bed | Assessed nightly during each 7-night condition | — |
| Sleep Latency | Assessed nightly during each 7-night condition | — |
| Mean Sleep Efficiency Assessed by Wrist Actigraphy | Measured nightly and averaged across the 7 consecutive nights of each condition | Sleep efficiency was assessed by wrist actigraphy and calculated as the percentage of time in bed spent asleep. Nightly sleep efficiency values were averaged across the seven consecutive nights of each experimental condition. Higher values indicate greater sleep efficiency. |
| Number of Nocturnal Awakenings | Assessed nightly during each 7-night condition | — |
| Subjective Sleep Quality Assessed Using the Sleep Item of the Hooper Questionnaire | Assessed nightly during each 7-night condition | Subjective sleep quality was assessed using the sleep-quality item of the Hooper Questionnaire (Hooper et al., 1995). Participants rated the quality of the previous night's sleep on a 7-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (very, very good) to 7 (very, very bad), with higher scores indicating poorer perceived sleep quality. |
Countries
France
Outcome results
None listed