Author(s): UCHIYAMA, K., PEELING, P., HALSON, S., REID, M., WALLMAN, K., WALSH, J., THOMAS, S., GIRARD, O., Institution: UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA, Country: AUSTRALIA, Abstract-ID: 738

INTRODUCTION:
Field-based research highlights the susceptibility of elite team-sport athletes to irregular sleep patterns, particularly during competition due to travel and matches. Currently, field-based data is derived from wrist-worn activity monitors (tracking sleep-wake patterns) and subjective assessments, however, they cannot measure sleep architecture (i.e., sleep-staging). While polysomnography is the gold standard for sleep assessment, its use in ecological settings remains impractical. Advancements in wireless home-based polysomnography and commercial sleep technology now enable the measurement of sleep architecture outside of laboratory environments. Given that each sleep stage plays a role on next-day function and performance, assessing sleep architecture could offer valuable insights into the consequences of travel and matches during competition. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the effects of travel and matches by comparing the sleep quantity, quality, and architecture of professional male rugby players during a home and away match fixture.
METHODS:
Twenty-six players, contracted for the Super Rugby season, were recruited for a prospective observational study. The experiment was conducted during the first two rounds of the competition to compare sleep (quantity, quality and architecture) across two conditions: a home (no travel; HOME) and an away (eastbound travel across three time zones; AWAY) match fixture, separated by eight days. Sleep data was collected using home-based polysomnography over three nights per condition: two nights preceding the match (MD-2), match night (MD), and the following night (MD+1). Sleep quantity (sleep duration), quality (sleep efficiency), and architecture (sleep onset/offset, latency, wake after sleep onset, awakenings, and sleep stages) were monitored. Sleep stages (light, deep and rapid eye movement [REM] sleep) were evaluated as proportion (%) and duration (min).
RESULTS:
Twenty athletes participated in the study (age: 27.5±4.1 years; height: 185.4±7.1 cm; body weight: 99.6±12.3 kg; positions: 9 forwards and 11 backs), with sleep data collected from 69 out of the 120 nights. Compared to HOME, AWAY increased sleep onset latency (+12±23 min; p<0.01) and altered sleep architecture (light: -6.2±7.1%; p<0.01). Regardless of condition, MD incurred delayed bedtime (+71±135 min; p<0.001), reduced sleep duration (-94±120 min; p<0.05) and altered sleep architecture (deep: +9.8±10.0%; REM: -6.9±8.3%; both p<0.05) compared to MD-2. On MD+1, sleep duration (+96±147 min; p<0.01), and time in light and REM sleep all rebounded (light: +52±44 min; REM: +39±52 min; both p<0.05) in both conditions.
CONCLUSION:
Professional male rugby union players experience alterations in sleep quantity, quality, and architecture on nights surrounding both home and away matches, with variability among players. Teams should arrange in-season training and flight schedules to ensure adequate sleep opportunity to optimise recovery.