Effects of Mental Fatigue and Different Nap Durations on Volleyball Performance and Brain Activity
试验速览
- 阶段
- 不适用
- 状态
- 已完成
- 入组人数
- 10
- 试验地点
- 1
- 主要终点
- EEG Spectral Power
研究概览
简要总结
Mental fatigue is known to impair cognitive and physical performance in athletes, but the effectiveness of different nap durations in counteracting these effects remains unclear. The purpose of this randomized crossover study is to investigate the effects of mental fatigue and different nap durations (20, 40, 60, and 90 minutes) on volleyball-specific performance and electroencephalographic (EEG) activity in trained male volleyball players. Mental fatigue is induced using a 15-minute Stroop task. Performance outcomes include the Volleyball Agility Test (VAT) and Countermovement Jump (CMJ), while cortical activity is assessed using resting-state EEG recordings. The findings are expected to improve understanding of the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying mental fatigue and recovery and to provide evidence-based recommendations regarding optimal nap duration for athletes.
详细描述
Mental fatigue has emerged as an important factor influencing athletic performance by impairing attention, executive function, decision-making, and motor performance. Volleyball is a sport requiring rapid cognitive processing, agility, explosive power, and precise motor control, making athletes particularly vulnerable to the detrimental effects of mental fatigue. Although daytime napping has been proposed as an effective recovery strategy, the optimal nap duration for restoring sport performance and brain activity following mental fatigue remains uncertain.
This study employs a randomized crossover repeated-measures design in which each participant completes six experimental conditions: Control, Mental Fatigue, Mental Fatigue followed by a 20-minute nap, Mental Fatigue followed by a 40-minute nap, Mental Fatigue followed by a 60-minute nap, and Mental Fatigue followed by a 90-minute nap. Mental fatigue is induced using a standardized 15-minute computerized Stroop task. A 72-hour washout period is maintained between consecutive experimental sessions.
Primary assessments include volleyball-specific agility performance, countermovement jump performance, and resting-state electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings obtained before and after mental fatigue and following the nap intervention. EEG analyses focus on spectral power in the delta, theta, alpha, and beta frequency bands as well as Theta/Alpha and Theta/Beta ratios.
The study aims to determine whether different nap durations differentially improve volleyball-specific performance and cortical activity following mental fatigue. The results are expected to provide practical recommendations for coaches and athletes regarding evidence-based recovery strategies while contributing to a better understanding of the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying mental fatigue and post-nap recovery.
研究设计
- 研究类型
- Interventional
- 分配方式
- Randomized
- 干预模型
- Crossover
- 主要目的
- Treatment
- 盲法
- None
入排标准
- 年龄范围
- 19 Years 至 22 Years（Adult）
- 性别
- Male
- 接受健康志愿者
- 是
入选标准
- •Male volleyball players aged 19 to 22 years.
- •Minimum of 3 years of regular volleyball training and active participation in organized training.
- •Apparently healthy and free from neurological, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, or metabolic disorders.
- •Normal or corrected-to-normal vision.
- •Willing to provide written informed consent.
- •Agreed to refrain from strenuous exercise, alcohol, and caffeine for at least 24 hours before each experimental session.
排除标准
- •History of neurological, psychiatric, cardiovascular, or musculoskeletal disorders.
- •Current injury affecting sports performance.
- •Use of medications known to influence cognitive function, sleep, or central nervous system activity.
- •Diagnosed sleep disorders.
- •Failure to comply with study procedures or pre-test instructions.
- •Inability to complete all experimental sessions.
研究组 & 干预措施
Control
Participants completed the control condition without mental fatigue induction or daytime nap intervention. A neutral documentary was viewed for 15 minutes. Resting-state EEG recordings, volleyball-specific agility performance, and countermovement jump performance were assessed according to the study protocol.
干预措施: Control Condition (Other)
Mental Fatigue
Participants completed a 15-minute computerized Stroop task to induce mental fatigue. Following the mental fatigue protocol, resting-state EEG recordings, volleyball-specific agility performance, and countermovement jump performance were assessed.
干预措施: Mental Fatigue Induction (Behavioral)
Nap20
Participants completed a 15-minute computerized Stroop task followed by a supervised 20-minute daytime nap. Resting-state EEG recordings, volleyball-specific agility performance, and countermovement jump performance were assessed after the nap intervention.
干预措施: Mental Fatigue Induction (Behavioral)
Nap20
Participants completed a 15-minute computerized Stroop task followed by a supervised 20-minute daytime nap. Resting-state EEG recordings, volleyball-specific agility performance, and countermovement jump performance were assessed after the nap intervention.
干预措施: Daytime Nap 20 Minutes (Behavioral)
Nap40
Participants completed a 15-minute computerized Stroop task followed by a supervised 40-minute daytime nap. Resting-state EEG recordings, volleyball-specific agility performance, and countermovement jump performance were assessed after the nap intervention.
干预措施: Mental Fatigue Induction (Behavioral)
Nap40
Participants completed a 15-minute computerized Stroop task followed by a supervised 40-minute daytime nap. Resting-state EEG recordings, volleyball-specific agility performance, and countermovement jump performance were assessed after the nap intervention.
干预措施: Daytime Nap 40 Minutes (Behavioral)
Nap60
Participants completed a 15-minute computerized Stroop task followed by a supervised 60-minute daytime nap. Resting-state EEG recordings, volleyball-specific agility performance, and countermovement jump performance were assessed after the nap intervention.
干预措施: Mental Fatigue Induction (Behavioral)
Nap60
Participants completed a 15-minute computerized Stroop task followed by a supervised 60-minute daytime nap. Resting-state EEG recordings, volleyball-specific agility performance, and countermovement jump performance were assessed after the nap intervention.
干预措施: Daytime Nap 60 Minutes (Behavioral)
Nap90
Participants completed a 15-minute computerized Stroop task followed by a supervised 90-minute daytime nap. Resting-state EEG recordings, volleyball-specific agility performance, and countermovement jump performance were assessed after the nap intervention.
干预措施: Mental Fatigue Induction (Behavioral)
Nap90
Participants completed a 15-minute computerized Stroop task followed by a supervised 90-minute daytime nap. Resting-state EEG recordings, volleyball-specific agility performance, and countermovement jump performance were assessed after the nap intervention.
干预措施: Daytime Nap 90 Minutes (Behavioral)
结局指标
主要结局
EEG Spectral Power
时间窗: At baseline, immediately after the mental fatigue task, and immediately after completion of the assigned intervention during each experimental session.
Resting-state electroencephalographic (EEG) activity was recorded from the Fz, Cz, Pz, O1, and O2 electrode sites. Power spectral density was analyzed for the delta (1-4 Hz), theta (4-8 Hz), alpha (8-13 Hz), and beta (13-30 Hz) frequency bands. All frequency-band power values were expressed in microvolts squared per hertz (µV²/Hz).
EEG Theta/Alpha Ratio
时间窗: At baseline, immediately after the mental fatigue task, and immediately after completion of the assigned intervention during each experimental session.
The theta-to-alpha power ratio was calculated from resting-state EEG recordings obtained from the Fz, Cz, Pz, O1, and O2 electrode sites by dividing theta-band power by alpha-band power. The outcome was expressed as a unitless ratio.
EEG Theta/Beta Ratio
时间窗: At baseline, immediately after the mental fatigue task, and immediately after completion of the assigned intervention during each experimental session.
The theta-to-beta power ratio was calculated from resting-state EEG recordings obtained from the Fz, Cz, Pz, O1, and O2 electrode sites by dividing theta-band power by beta-band power. The outcome was expressed as a unitless ratio.
Volleyball-Specific Agility Performance
时间窗: Immediately after completion of each experimental protocol.
Volleyball-specific agility performance was assessed using the Volleyball Agility Test (VAT). Performance was quantified as test completion time (seconds), with lower values indicating better agility performance.
Countermovement Jump Height
时间窗: Immediately after completion of each experimental protocol.
Countermovement jump (CMJ) performance was assessed using the My Jump Lab application by measuring jump height in centimeters (cm), with higher values indicating better jump performance.
次要结局
- Countermovement Jump-Derived Mechanical and Kinematic Parameters(Immediately after completion of each experimental protocol.)
- Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) Score(Baseline (before the first experimental session).)
- Visual Analog Scale (VAS) Score for Perceived Nap Quality(Immediately after each daytime nap intervention (20-, 40-, 60-, and 90-minute nap conditions).)
研究者
Oğuzhan Bozkurt
Principal Investigator
Inonu University