Does Sleep Quality between Back-to-Back Matches Influence Running Performance in Canadian Female University Soccer Players? A GPS-based Time-Series Analysis

Abstract

Background: Soccer competitions performed with less than or equal to 24 hours of recuperation, including inadequate amounts of quality sleep, may adversely affect performance. Objective: The purpose of this research was to assess running performance between self-reported good and poor sleepers in female university sport soccer players (N = 12) in matches played with ≤ 24 hours of recovery. Methods: In this cross-sectional and observational study, twelve female university soccer players (mean age: 19.44 + 1.69 yr) were followed throughout one season of competition using a time-series analysis of running performance and comparing good (n = 7) versus poor (n = 5) sleepers. Global positioning systems (GPS) were used to evaluate jogging/sprinting performance throughout the 2016 soccer season. Good and poor sleepers were determined via the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Results: There was a significant reduction (p