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Effects of Afternoon Napping, Caffeine and Recovery on Evening Athletic Performance
Sponsor: The Higher Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Sfax
Summary
This study investigates the effects of napping, caffeine, and a personalised recovery protocol on evening athletic performance in male and female athletes. Background: Evening athletic performance can be impaired by accumulated sleepiness and natural circadian rhythms. Athletes often seek strategies to maintain peak performance during evening competitions. Napping, caffeine, and recovery protocols are commonly used but their combined effects, particularly differences between sexes and chronotypes (morning-type vs evening-type individuals), remain unclear. Objective: To determine whether combining a 90-minute afternoon nap with moderate caffeine ingestion (5 mg/kg) and a brief personalised recovery protocol (dynamic stretching plus carbohydrate-protein snack) produces superior evening performance compared to each intervention alone. Methods: Sixty elite university athletes (30 males, 30 females) will participate in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial. Each participant will complete five experimental conditions separated by at least 72 hours: (1) placebo, (2) nap alone, (3) caffeine alone, (4) nap plus caffeine, and (5) nap plus caffeine plus recovery protocol. Performance will be assessed at 19:00 using tests of agility, jumping, sprinting, and reaction time. Physiological measurements including heart rate variability, salivary cortisol, plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and blood lactate will be collected at multiple timepoints. Expected Outcomes: The combined intervention (nap plus caffeine plus recovery) is expected to produce the greatest improvements in physical and cognitive performance, with potential differences between males and females and between morning-type and evening-type athletes. Significance: Findings will provide evidence-based recommendations for athletes and coaches seeking to optimise evening performance through multi-modal strategies.
Official title: Effects of Afternoon Napping, Caffeine and Personalised Recovery Protocol on Evening Athletic Performance According to Sex and Chronotype: A Randomised Crossover Trial
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - 25 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
60
Start Date
2025-01-02
Completion Date
2025-05-31
Last Updated
2026-06-17
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Interventions
Afternoon Nap
90-minute afternoon nap opportunity (13:00-14:30) in a quiet, dimly lit room with objective sleep architecture monitoring using portable EEG headband (Dreem 3). Participants wore earplugs and eye masks. Sleep stages (N1, N2, N3, REM) were recorded.
Caffeine
Anhydrous caffeine powder (5 mg per kg of body mass) administered in opaque capsules at 18:00. Capsules were visually identical to placebo capsules (microcrystalline cellulose). This dose is within the range of common dietary caffeine intake and is classified as a nutritional supplement.
Personalised Recovery Protocol
15-minute active recovery protocol (18:45-19:00) consisting of: (1) dynamic stretching exercises targeting lower limb musculature (leg swings, walking lunges, high knees, butt kicks; 10 repetitions per leg), followed by (2) consumption of a carbohydrate-protein snack (30g total: 20g maltodextrin + 10g whey isolate, 2:1 ratio) mixed with 200mL water.
Placebo
Microcrystalline cellulose powder administered in opaque capsules at 18:00. Capsules were visually identical in appearance, mass, color, and odor to caffeine capsules.
Locations (1)
Higher Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Sfax (ISSEP Sfax)
Sfax, Tunisia