AI Article Synopsis

  • This study explores how circadian preference (morning vs. evening tendencies) and sleep inertia (feeling sluggish after waking) affect marathon performance, especially since marathons typically happen in the early morning.
  • Researchers recruited 936 participants from a 2016 city marathon and found that runners with a preference for the evening and higher sleep inertia tended to have slower completion times.
  • The findings suggest that understanding these factors could help tailor training programs for specific runners, potentially improving their performance during races.

Article Abstract

Burgeoning interest in marathons necessitates an understanding of performance determinants. Research has highlighted the importance of diet, training and sleep, yet relations of circadian preference and sleep inertia with marathon performance remain largely unexplored. Because marathons generally start early-to-mid morning, these characteristics may have relevant impact. This study investigates relationships of circadian preference, sleep inertia and their interaction with marathon completion time. Consenting participants in a 2016 large mass-participation city marathon completed self-report questionnaires capturing circadian preference and sleep inertia, along with demographics and other characteristics. Circadian preference and sleep inertia were described across subgroups. Analyses examined the associations and interactions of circadian preference and sleep inertia with marathon completion times, with adjusted analyses accounting for age, sex and sleep health. Participants were marathon finishers (n = 936; 64.5% male; 66.3% young-adults), with a majority reporting morningness tendencies (60.8%). Results supported a linear association between increasing eveningness preference with slower marathon times (p = 0.003; p = 0.002), while some support was provided for a linear relationship between greater sleep inertia and slower marathon times (p = 0.04; p = 0.07). A significant interaction was observed (p = 0.02; p = 0.01), with the directionality suggesting that the circadian preference relationship weakened when sleep inertia severity increased, and vice-versa. Our results suggest deleterious associations of increasing eveningness preference and greater sleep inertia with marathon completion time. These features may aid identifying marathoners who could be at a disadvantage, while also serving as modifiable targets for personalized training regimens preceding competition.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jsr.14375DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

sleep inertia
36
circadian preference
28
preference sleep
24
marathon completion
16
completion time
12
inertia marathon
12
sleep
11
marathon
10
preference
9
inertia
9

Similar Publications

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!