Abstract
It is widely reported that a brief nap is effective in preventing afternoon sleepiness. However, its effects on exercise performance have remained unknown. The present study examined the effects of a short nap on exercise performance in the mid-afternoon. University students who belonged to an athletic club (n = 10) participated in the study. They took a nap (Nap condition) or read a newspaper (No-nap condition) for 15 minutes at 14 : 00 hours. In the Nap condition, the participants were awakened 3 minutes after the appearance of Stage 2 sleep. At 15 : 00 hours, the participants exercised using a cycle ergometer until exhaustion. Results indicated that the duration of exercise was 27 seconds longer in the Nap condition than in the Nonap condition (p<.05). Although heart rate was not significantly different between the two conditions, rating of perceived exertion and subjective sleepiness were significantly lower and vigor was significantly higher after taking the nap (ps <.05). These results suggest that a brief nap improves exercise performance in the mid-afternoon. (Japanese Journal of Physiological Psychology and Psychophysiology, 24 (3) : 249-256, 2006.)
