Soccer, Sleep, Repeat: Effects of Training Characteristics on Sleep Quantity and Sleep Architecture

Due to the high demands of competitive sports, sleep architecture adolescent athletes may be influenced by their regular training. To date, there is no clear evidence on how training characteristics (intensity, time day, number sessions) influence quality and quantity. 53 male soccer players (M = 14.36 years, SD 0.55) Austrian U15 (n 45) U16 elite teams 8) were tested at least three consecutive days following habitual schedules. Participants completed daily protocols (7 a.m., 8 p.m.) questionnaires assessing (PSQI), chronotype (D-MEQ), competition anxiety (WAI-T), stress/recovery (RESTQ). Electrocardiography (ECG) actigraphy devices measured sleep. Using an ECG-based multi-resolution convolutional neural network (MCNN), we found that higher intensity leads more wake time, later causes longer duration, one session per day was most advantageous for quality. In addition, somatic complaints assessed WAI-T negatively affected athletes’ Individual loads recovery times after late sessions during should considered in schedules, especially athletes. MCNN modeling based ECG data seems promising efficient analysis