Monitoring Sleep and Nightly Recovery with Wrist-Worn Wearables: Links to Training Load and Performance Adaptations
Previous studies on the effects of intensified training on sleep quality/quantity have been somewhat contradictory. Moreover, recreational athletes often track various sleep metrics, and those metrics’ actual connections to training adaptations are unknown. This study explored the effects of intensi...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/2/533 |
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| author | Olli-Pekka Nuuttila Daniela Schäfer Olstad Kaisu Martinmäki Arja Uusitalo Heikki Kyröläinen |
| author_facet | Olli-Pekka Nuuttila Daniela Schäfer Olstad Kaisu Martinmäki Arja Uusitalo Heikki Kyröläinen |
| author_sort | Olli-Pekka Nuuttila |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Previous studies on the effects of intensified training on sleep quality/quantity have been somewhat contradictory. Moreover, recreational athletes often track various sleep metrics, and those metrics’ actual connections to training adaptations are unknown. This study explored the effects of intensified training on sleep and nightly recovery along with their associations with training adaptations. A total of 24 participants (10 females) performed a 3-week baseline training period (BL), a 2-week overload period (OL), and a 1-week recovery period (REC), which were followed by test days (T1–T3). The endurance performance was assessed with a 3000 m running test. Throughout all of the periods, the nightly recovery information was monitored with a wrist-worn wearable, including sleep quantity and quality, heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV), and proprietary parameters combining several parameters and scaling the results individually. In addition, the perceived strain and muscle soreness were evaluated daily. The 3000 m running performance improved from T1 to T2 (−1.2 ± 1.7%, <i>p</i> = 0.006) and from T1 to T3 (−1.7 ± 1.2%, <i>p</i> = 0.002). The perceived strain and muscle soreness increased (<i>p</i> < 0.001) from the final week of the BL to the final week of the OL, but the subjective sleep quality and nightly recovery metrics remained unchanged. The OL average of the proprietary parameter, autonomic nervous system charge (“ANS charge”, combining the HR, HRV, and breathing rate), as well as the change in the sleep HR and HRV from the BL to the OL, were associated (<i>p</i> < 0.05) with a change in the 3000 m running time. In conclusion, the subjective recovery metrics were impaired by intensified training, while the sleep and nightly recovery metrics showed no consistent changes. However, there were substantial interindividual differences in nightly recovery, which were also associated with the training adaptations. Therefore, monitoring nightly recovery can help in recognizing individual responses to training and assist in optimizing training prescriptions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5b6525b8ef3843e386b1dcaa7a42f9a0 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj-art-5b6525b8ef3843e386b1dcaa7a42f9a02025-01-24T13:49:15ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202025-01-0125253310.3390/s25020533Monitoring Sleep and Nightly Recovery with Wrist-Worn Wearables: Links to Training Load and Performance AdaptationsOlli-Pekka Nuuttila0Daniela Schäfer Olstad1Kaisu Martinmäki2Arja Uusitalo3Heikki Kyröläinen4Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, FinlandPolar Electro Oy, 90440 Kempele, FinlandPolar Electro Oy, 90440 Kempele, FinlandDepartment of Sports and Exercise Medicine, Clinicum, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, FinlandFaculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, FinlandPrevious studies on the effects of intensified training on sleep quality/quantity have been somewhat contradictory. Moreover, recreational athletes often track various sleep metrics, and those metrics’ actual connections to training adaptations are unknown. This study explored the effects of intensified training on sleep and nightly recovery along with their associations with training adaptations. A total of 24 participants (10 females) performed a 3-week baseline training period (BL), a 2-week overload period (OL), and a 1-week recovery period (REC), which were followed by test days (T1–T3). The endurance performance was assessed with a 3000 m running test. Throughout all of the periods, the nightly recovery information was monitored with a wrist-worn wearable, including sleep quantity and quality, heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV), and proprietary parameters combining several parameters and scaling the results individually. In addition, the perceived strain and muscle soreness were evaluated daily. The 3000 m running performance improved from T1 to T2 (−1.2 ± 1.7%, <i>p</i> = 0.006) and from T1 to T3 (−1.7 ± 1.2%, <i>p</i> = 0.002). The perceived strain and muscle soreness increased (<i>p</i> < 0.001) from the final week of the BL to the final week of the OL, but the subjective sleep quality and nightly recovery metrics remained unchanged. The OL average of the proprietary parameter, autonomic nervous system charge (“ANS charge”, combining the HR, HRV, and breathing rate), as well as the change in the sleep HR and HRV from the BL to the OL, were associated (<i>p</i> < 0.05) with a change in the 3000 m running time. In conclusion, the subjective recovery metrics were impaired by intensified training, while the sleep and nightly recovery metrics showed no consistent changes. However, there were substantial interindividual differences in nightly recovery, which were also associated with the training adaptations. Therefore, monitoring nightly recovery can help in recognizing individual responses to training and assist in optimizing training prescriptions.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/2/533sleep monitoringautonomic nervous systemnocturnal heart ratenocturnal heart rate variabilityoverreaching |
| spellingShingle | Olli-Pekka Nuuttila Daniela Schäfer Olstad Kaisu Martinmäki Arja Uusitalo Heikki Kyröläinen Monitoring Sleep and Nightly Recovery with Wrist-Worn Wearables: Links to Training Load and Performance Adaptations Sensors sleep monitoring autonomic nervous system nocturnal heart rate nocturnal heart rate variability overreaching |
| title | Monitoring Sleep and Nightly Recovery with Wrist-Worn Wearables: Links to Training Load and Performance Adaptations |
| title_full | Monitoring Sleep and Nightly Recovery with Wrist-Worn Wearables: Links to Training Load and Performance Adaptations |
| title_fullStr | Monitoring Sleep and Nightly Recovery with Wrist-Worn Wearables: Links to Training Load and Performance Adaptations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Monitoring Sleep and Nightly Recovery with Wrist-Worn Wearables: Links to Training Load and Performance Adaptations |
| title_short | Monitoring Sleep and Nightly Recovery with Wrist-Worn Wearables: Links to Training Load and Performance Adaptations |
| title_sort | monitoring sleep and nightly recovery with wrist worn wearables links to training load and performance adaptations |
| topic | sleep monitoring autonomic nervous system nocturnal heart rate nocturnal heart rate variability overreaching |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/2/533 |
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