Disturbance of sports performance after partial sleep deprivation

The changes in cardiac and ventilatory responses were measured in 7 endurance athletes during physical exercise on a bicycle ergometer, taking place after a control night and after a night with partial sleep deprivation in the middle of the night. The results show that, despite the maximal work load was not modified with control, heart rate, ventilation and VE/VO2 ratio (ERO2) were greater at the submaximal (75% of the VO2 max) and maximal work load and oxygen consumption decreased at maximal work, after the night of partial sleep deprivation as compared to the control. These findings suggest that acute sleep loss may contribute to alter the endurance performance by impairment of aerobic pathways.