Cardiac autonomic function and sleep patterns after training sessions and matches in female soccer players

I investigated the impact of training sessions and official matches performed at different locations, times of the day and phases of the season (in-season and international tournaments) on nocturnal cardiac autonomic activity and sleep patterns in female soccer players using non-invasive and time-efficient equipment. In some countries, most of the young adult female players usually start training sessions at very late hours, close to bedtime sleep, due to their daily life commitments. In this scenario, during my Ph.D., I published four observational studies on sleep and nocturnal heart rate variability (HRV) of elite and semiprofessional female soccer players aiming to better assist coaches and clinical experts to identify sleep and HRV disturbances. First, I investigated the sensitivity of nocturnal HRV to evaluate the effects of late-night soccer training sessions on nocturnal cardiac autonomic activity of semiprofessional female players (n=11) throughout a 1-week competitive in-season microcycle.1 I then conducted two additional longitudinal studies.2 3 The main purpose of study 2 was to analyse for three consecutive weeks whether exercise training conducted at night disturbs sleep and affects nocturnal cardiac autonomic activity in female soccer players (n=18).2 Study 3 aimed …