Abstract

Objective: In-season youth gymnastics is a sport that has maintained popularity, even though the youth are exposed to psychological and physiological injuries throughout their career. The absence of clearly demarcated competitive seasons complicates the distinction between in- and out-of-season, potentially masking cumulative health changes from chronically poor sleep and inadequate autonomic recovery. The present study investigated the differences in sleep architecture and health in- and out-of-season in young, in-season gymnasts. Methods: Nine in-season youth gymnasts between the ages of 12 and 16 years were recruited. Sleep data were collected for three consecutive nights during in-season and off-season using an ambulatory sleep monitor so the subjects could sleep in their own beds. Results: Mean nocturnal pulse was significantly higher during in-season versus off-season, reflecting higher sympatho-vagal outflow during the competition season. Sleep efficiency, wake after sleep onset (WASO), and spindle duration were similar during in-season and off-season, yet they had better values during off-season. Sleep latency, rapid eye movement (REM), and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) had greater sleep regularity during the off-season. Conclusion: These data demonstrate a significant decrease in mean nocturnal heart rate when an athlete transitions from in-season to off-season.

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