MedPath

Acute Sleep Deprivation on Whole-body Heat Exchange During Exercise-heat Stress in Young and Older Men

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Thermoregulation
Aging
Sleep Disturbance
Heat Exchange
Exercise
Interventions
Other: Sleep deprivation
Other: Normal sleep
Registration Number
NCT05838014
Lead Sponsor
University of Ottawa
Brief Summary

Sleep deprivation has long been thought to modulate thermoregulatory function. Seminal work on sleep deprivation and thermoregulation has demonstrated that sleep-deprived individuals experience greater elevations in core temperature during exercise-heat stress due to reductions in the activation of local heat loss responses of cutaneous vasodilation and sweating. However, it remains unclear 1) if reductions in local heat loss responses would compromise whole-body heat loss (evaporative + dry heat exchange) and 2) if differences exist, are they dependent on the heat load generated by exercise (increases in metabolic rate augments the rate that heat must be dissipated by the body). Further, much of the understanding of the effects of sleep deprivation on thermoregulation has been limited to assessments in young adults. Studies show that aging is associated with reduction in cutaneous vasodilation and sweating that compromise whole-body heat loss exacerbating body heat storage during moderate- and especially more vigorous-intensity exercise in the heat. However, it remains unclear if sleep deprivation may worsen this response in older adults.

The purpose of this study is therefore to evaluate the effects of sleep-deprivation on whole-body total heat loss during light, moderate, and vigorous exercise-heat stress and to assess if aging may mediate this response. To achieve this objective, direct calorimetry will be employed to measure whole-body total heat loss in young (18-30 years) and older (50-65 years) men during exercise at increasing, fixed rates of metabolic heat production of 150 (light), 200 (moderate), and 250 W/m2 (vigorous) in dry heat (40°C, \~15% relative humidity) with and without 24 hours of sleep deprivation.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
Male
Target Recruitment
21
Inclusion Criteria
  • healthy young (18-30 years) and older males (50-65 years)
  • non-smoking
  • English or French speaking
  • ability to provide informed consent
Exclusion Criteria
  • presence of chronic diseases (e.g., hypertension, diabetes)
  • acute illness (e.g., flu, COVID-19)
  • physical restriction limiting physical activity (e.g., severe arthritis, etc.)
  • use of medication judged by the patient or investigators to make participation in this study inadvisable
  • engaged in regular endurance training

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
CROSSOVER
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Sleep deprivationSleep deprivationParticipants will complete three 30-minute bouts of semi-recumbent cycling at incrementally increasing fixed metabolic heat loads (150, 200 and 250 W/m2) in a hot, dry condition (40°C, 15% relative humidity). Each exercise bout will be separated by a 15 minute period of rest, with the final recovery 1 hour in duration. Exercise will commence between the hours of 7 AM and 9 AM following a period of 24 hour of sleep deprivation (Sleep deprivation condition).
Normal sleepNormal sleepParticipants will complete three 30-minute bouts of semi-recumbent cycling at incrementally increasing fixed metabolic heat loads (150, 200 and 250 W/m2) in a hot, dry condition (40°C, 15% relative humidity). Each exercise bout will be separated by a 15 minute period of rest, with the final recovery 1 hour in duration. Exercise will commence between the hours of 7 AM and 9 AM following a period of normal sleep (\~8 hours) (Control condition).
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Evaporative heat lossEnd of each exercise bout (average of last 5 minutes)

Evaporative heat loss as assessed using a direct air calorimeter

Whole-body heat lossEnd of each exercise bout (average of last 5 minutes)

Net heat loss (dry plus/minus evaporative heat exchange) as assessed using a direct air calorimeter

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in core temperatureEnd of each exercise bout (average of last 5 minutes)

Change in rectal temperature from baseline resting

Heart rateEnd of each exercise bout (average of last 5 minutes)

Measured continuously using a heart rate monitor

Skin temperatureEnd of each exercise bout (average of last 5 minutes)

Skin temperature measured continuously at 4-sites (chest, upper arm, thigh, calf) with mean value calculated as weighted value of 4 sites - bicep, 30%; chest, 30%; thigh, 20%; and calf, 20%.

Thermal comfort scaleEnd of the 30 minute resting baseline period, end of each 30 minute exercise bout, end of each 15 minute rest period, and 1 hour after final exercise period.

Thermal comfort assessed via a self-report questionnaire upon verbal prompting (4-point scale; 1: comfortable to 4: very uncomfortable)

Skin temperature (change)End of each exercise bout (average of last 5 minutes)

Change in skin temperature from baseline resting as assessed at 4-sites (chest, upper arm, thigh, calf) with mean value calculated as weighted value of 4 sites - bicep, 30%; chest, 30%; thigh, 20%; and calf, 20%.

Heart rate reserveEnd of each exercise bout (average of last 5 minutes)

Percentage of the difference between the peak heart rate

Dry heat lossEnd of each exercise bout (average of last 5 minutes)

Total dry heat loss as assessed using a direct air calorimeter

Body heat storageEach 30 minute exercise bout and sum of all three exercise bouts

Change in body heat storage (i.e., amount of heat stored in the body) calculated as the temporal summation of metabolic heat production and net heat loss

Core temperatureEnd of each exercise bout (average of last 5 minutes)

Rectal temperature measured as an index of core temperature

Local sweat rate (forearm, scapula)End of each exercise bout (average of last 5 minutes)

Sweat production assessed using ventilated capsule technique

Rating of perceived exertionEnd of the 30 minute resting baseline period, end of each 30 minute exercise bout, end of each 15 minute rest period, and 1 hour after final exercise period.

Perceived exertion assessed via a self-report questionnaire upon verbal prompting (6: no exertion at all to 20: maximal exertion)

Thermal sensationEnd of the 30 minute resting baseline period, end of each 30 minute exercise bout, end of each 15 minute rest period, and 1 hour after final exercise period.

Thermal sensation assessed via a self-report questionnaire upon verbal prompting (7-point scale; 0: neutral to 7: extremely hot)

Thirst sensationEnd of the 30 minute resting baseline period, end of each 30 minute exercise bout, end of each 15 minute rest period, and 1 hour after final exercise period.

Thirst sensation assessed via a self-report questionnaire upon verbal prompting (9-point scale; 1: not thirsty at all to 9: very, very thirsty)

Stanford sleep scaleEnd of the 30 minute resting baseline period, end of each 30 minute exercise bout, end of each 15 minute rest period, and 1 hour after final exercise period.

Symptoms of tiredness assess via a self-report questionnaire upon verbal prompting (How sleepy are you?) ranging from "feeling active, vital, alert, or wide awake" to "no longer fighting sleep, sleep onset soon, having dream-like thoughts"

Variables of heart rate variabilityEnd of each exercise (average of last 5 minutes)

Measures of variability computed from the time, frequency, time-frequency, scale-invariant, entropy, and other nonlinear domains (R-R interval data extracted from the electrocardiogram)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Ottawa

🇨🇦

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by MedPath