Intense Exercise Disrupts Sleep And Mood Among Trained Athletes

As few as nine days of intense exercise disturb sleep patterns, mood, and endurance capabilities, British researchers have found. The clinical study involved 13 highly conditioned cyclists whose intake of carbohydrates also varied during the testing. The athletes also spent more time in bed during the training, but not necessarily sleeping. Sleep efficiency was significantly reduced, and the athletes awoke many times more than usual throughout the night. The cyclists also reported higher tension, anger, fatigue, confusion, depression and increased feelings and symptoms of stress. The researchers found that a high carbohydrate diet during exercise reduced some, but not all, of the effects of hard training.