Strategic Daytime Napping Enhances Agility and Lowers Perceived Exertion
Turkey (Türkiye)16 participantsStarted 2025-01-25
Plain-language summary
This study investigates how short daytime naps affect physical performance and perceived exertion in competitive male soccer players. Using a repeated-measures crossover design, sixteen athletes from the U17 and U19 teams of Yeni Malatyaspor completed three experimental sessions separated by 48 hours. Each session involved one of three conditions: no nap (N0), a 25-minute nap (N25), or a 45-minute nap (N45). Participants' agility, repeated-sprint ability, and exertion levels were tested after each condition. Objective sleep data were collected with Fitbit Charge 6 devices, and subjective measures included the Hooper Index, Profile of Mood States, and sleep quality scales.
The study aimed to determine whether strategic napping could acutely improve agility and reduce fatigue during anaerobic performance tasks in soccer players. It was hypothesized that longer naps would enhance agility and lower perceived exertion but would not significantly affect repeated-sprint performance.
Who can participate
Age range
16 Years – 19 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
* Male soccer players aged 16-19 years.
* Active members of the Yeni Malatyaspor U17 or U19 competitive teams.
* In good general health, with no acute or chronic illness or injury.
* Regularly engaged in organized soccer training and competition.
* No habitual daytime napping routine.
Able and willing to comply with all study procedures and testing sessions.
* Obtained informed consent (and parental consent for participants under 18 years).
Exclusion Criteria:
* Current or recent (within 3 months) illness, injury, or infection.
* Diagnosed sleep disorders or reported sleep problems on test days.
* Hyperactivity or other conditions that could interfere with sleep or performance testing.
* Use of medications, caffeine, or substances that could affect sleep or performance.
* Failure to comply with pre-test instructions (e.g., abstaining from strenuous training, alcohol, or caffeine).
* Inability to adhere to nap or testing protocols.
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Change in Agility Performance (Pro Agility Test Time)
Timeframe: Measured 60 minutes after awakening in each nap condition (No Nap, 25-min Nap, 45-min Nap).
Trial details
NCT IDNCT07264777
SponsorPrincess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University