Dados do Trabalho

Título

Association Between Sleep Parameters, Inflammation, and Muscle Performance in Trail and Mountain Ultramarathon Runners

Introdução

Ultramarathons (UTRs) are long-distance races that require intense physical and mental preparation, potentially negatively impacting sleep, neuromuscular function, and athletic performance.

Objetivo

To investigate the relationship between sleep, inflammation, and performance in trail and mountain ultramarathon runners

Métodos

A cross-sectional observational study involving 14 UTRs. The Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Insomnia Severity Index, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were administered. Sleep was assessed using actigraphy over 7 days before and after the competition. Venous blood samples were collected immediately before and after the competition to measure IL-6, IL-10, IL1-Ra, and TNF-α concentrations using the ELISA method. Muscle performance was evaluated using the countermovement jump (CMJ) before and after the 80km race. Data were described using frequency and mean, and analyzed using paired t-tests and Pearson correlation (p < 0.05).

Resultados

The sample was predominantly male (71.4%), with an average age of 43 years, height of 1.71m, and BMI of 22.22 kg/m², all with more than two years of trail experience. Among the athletes, 78.6% were morning types, 46.2% reported varying daytime sleepiness, and 64.3% had insignificant insomnia. Half of the athletes adopted pre-competition sleep strategies, and 57.1% reported good sleep quality, with an average efficiency of 89.8% before the race, decreasing to 87.1% afterward (p=0.02). Total sleep time (TST) increased from 388 to 423 minutes post-UTR (p=0.02). There was a significant reduction in CMJ height (6.77cm) and normalized power (6.45 W/kg) (p < 0.001). A positive correlation was found between BMI and CMJ height (r=0.58, p=0.03) and normalized power (r=0.70, p=0.008). BMI negatively correlated with time in bed (r=-0.68, p=0.007) and TST (r=-0.64, p=0.01). TST was positively correlated with TNF-α (r=0.70, p=0.02) and negatively with sleep latency (r=-0.61, p=0.02) and WASO (r=-0.96, p<0.001). There was a negative correlation between IL1-Ra and CMJ power (r=-0.63, p=0.03).

Conclusões

The competition affected the sleep and muscle performance of the UTRs, suggesting that the increase in TST post-UTR may indicate recovery, while the reduction in CMJ height and power indicates muscle fatigue. The correlation between TST and TNF-α suggests an inflammatory response, while the negative correlation between IL1-Ra and CMJ power suggests that inflammation may mediate muscle performance after the competition.

Palavras -chave

Sleep