Caffeine use in a Super Rugby game and its relationship to post-game sleep
Dunican IC, Higgins CC, Jones MJ, Clarke MW, Murray K, Dawson B, Caldwell JA, Halson SL, Eastwood PR
European journal of sport science · 45 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Cohort study (classified by our AI screen)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- Government
- Government of Western Australia
- Government
- National Health and Medical Research Council
- Unclassified
- Caring for our Country
- Government
- Western Australian State Government
- Government
- Australian Federal Government
- Government
- National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS)
- Government
- NHMRC
Based on 7 listed funder(s).
Publication
- Published
- 2018-02-12 · Eur J Sport Sci · vol. 18 · issue 4 · pp. 513–523
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- Cited
- 67 citations · more than 96% of similar papers · 5.1× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 42 works
- Access
- Paywalled
- Research areas
- Coffee research and impacts · Sleep and related disorders · Thermoregulation and physiological responses
- Keywords
- Sleep (system call), Psychology, Physical medicine and rehabilitation, Applied psychology, Physical therapy, Medicine, Computer science
- MeSH
- saliva, humans, caffeine, sleep, football, adult, male, young adult, actigraphy, athletes
9 authors
From AU
- Ian C. Dunican · correspondingThe University of Western Australia
- Charles Clair HigginsWestern Australia Police
- Maddison J. JonesThe University of Western Australia
- Michael W. ClarkeThe University of Western Australia
- Kevin J. MurrayThe University of Western Australia
- BRIAN T. DAWSONThe University of Western Australia
Abstract
Objective
To examine the relationship between regular game-related caffeine consumption on sleep after an evening Super Rugby game.
Methods
Twenty elite rugby union players wore a wrist-activity monitor to measure sleep for three days before, three days after and on the night of an evening Super Rugby game (19:00-21:00). Players ingested caffeine as they would normally (i.e. before and sometimes during a game) and saliva samples were collected before (17:00) and after (21:30) the game for caffeine concentration.
Results
Compared to the nights leading up to the game, on the night of the game, players went to bed 3 h later (23:08 ± 66 min vs 02:11 ± 114 min; p < .001) and had 1:30 hh:mm less sleep (5:54 ± 2:59 vs 8:02 ± 1:24 hh:mm; p < .05) and four players did not sleep after the game. Post-game caffeine saliva concentrations were greater than pre-game levels in 17 players (Pre-game 0.40 µg/mL vs Post-game 2.77 µg/mL; p < .001). The increase in caffeine saliva concentrations was moderately associated with an increase in sleep latency (p < .05), a decrease in sleep efficiency (p < .05), and a trend for a decrease in sleep duration (p = .06) on game night.
Conclusion
Caffeine consumption before a Super Rugby game markedly increases post-game saliva caffeine levels. This may contribute to the observed 3.5 h delay in time at sleep onset and the 1.5 h reduction in sleep duration on the night of the game. This study highlights the need for a strategic approach to the use of caffeine within a Super Rugby team considering the potential effect on post-game sleep.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher.
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