Mental fatigue (MF) negatively affects both cognitive and physical performance, increasing the risk of errors in high-stakes environments such as sports and surgery. Traditional methods to assess MF rely on subjective self-report scales, which are prone to bias, or on complex brain measurements (e.g. EEG) that are impractical outside laboratory settings. This study aims to develop a real-time, objective monitoring method for MF using wearable physiological sensors. The study will recruit healthy, trained runners (18-35 years old) who will complete both an MF-inducing cognitive task (Stroop test) and a control condition (watching a documentary) in a randomized, counterbalanced, crossover design. Heart rate variability, respiration rate, and pupil metrics will be continuously recorded using wearable devices. Machine learning models will be used to predict MF-level as well as the effect of MF on physical performance (5-km time trial on a treadmill) using the physiological data as input.
Age range
18 Years – 35 Years
Sex
ALL
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Heart rate variability time-domain parameters
Timeframe: Continuously during the cognitive intervention and control condition on the study day (approximately 75 minutes).
Heart rate variability frequency-domain parameters
Timeframe: Continuously during the cognitive intervention and control condition on the study day (approximately 75 minutes).
Respiration rate
Timeframe: Continuously during the cognitive intervention and control condition on the study day (approximately 75 minutes).
Pupil diameter
Timeframe: Continuously during the cognitive intervention and control condition on the study day (approximately 75 minutes).
Blinking rate
Timeframe: Continuously during the cognitive intervention and control condition on the study day (approximately 75 minutes).
Eyelid opening
Timeframe: Continuously during the cognitive intervention and control condition on the study day (approximately 75 minutes).
Cognitive Performance Accuracy
Timeframe: At baseline (pre-intervention), during the 60-minute cognitive intervention, and immediately after completion of the intervention on the study day (approximately 70 minutes total).
Cognitive Performance Reaction Time
Timeframe: At baseline (pre-intervention), during the 60-minute cognitive intervention, and immediately after completion of the intervention on the study day (approximately 70 minutes total).
Physical performance: Time to Completion
Timeframe: Immediately after completion of the 60-minute cognitive intervention, during a single 5-km treadmill time trial on the study day (approximately 20 minutes).