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Int J Sports Med 2004; 25(6): 421-426
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-815845
Physiology & Biochemistry

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Sleep Deprivation, Energy Expenditure and Cardiorespiratory Function

J. P. R. Scott1 , L. R. McNaughton2
  • 1Department of Sport and Exercise Science, Bath University, UK
  • 2Department of Sport Science, University of Hull, UK
Further Information

Publication History

Accepted after revision: August 10, 2003

Publication Date:
18 May 2004 (online)

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Abstract

Participants in the sport of adventure racing often choose to go without sleep for a period of greater than 24 h while partaking in prolonged submaximal exercise. This study examined the effect of 30 h of sleep deprivation and intermittent physical exercise, on the cardiorespiratory markers of submaximal exercise in six subjects. Six subjects with the following physical characteristics participated in the study (mean ± SD): age 22 ± 0.3 years, height 180 ± 5 cm, body mass: 77 ± 5 kg, VO2peak 44 ± 5 ml · kg-1 · min-1. Three subjects engaged in normal sedentary activities while three others cycled on a cycle ergometer at 50 % VO2peak for 20 min out of every two hours during thirty hours of sleep deprivation. One week later sleep deprivation was repeated with a cross over of subjects. Every four hours, subjects completed assessments of cardiorespiratory function during 50 % VO2peak cycling. A 3 × 8 repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significantly lower heart rate with sleep deprivation (p < 0.05), but no other significant effects (p > 0.05) on respiratory gas exchange variables. Neither sleep deprivation, nor a combination of sleep deprivation and five hours of moderate intensity cycling, appear to be limiting factors to the physiological capacity to perform submaximal exercise.

Key words

Adventure racing - endurance - intermittent - ergometry

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PhD, FACSM Lars R. McNaughton

Department of Sport Science, University of Hull

Hull HU6 7RX

England

Phone: + 44(0)1482466927

Fax: + 44 (0) 14 82 46 69 27

Email: l.mcnaughton@hull.ac.uk

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