175: Sleep 5 hours per night and still workout? Science-backed Considerations of Slight Sleep Deprivation

In this episode, we cover a study that investigated the effect of nine nights of moderate sleep restriction on performance, hormonal responses and perceived fatigue in resistance-trained females. Results showed that volume load decreased slightly ( less than 1%) with SR, while mean concentric velocity was slower during SR for lower body compound lifts (up to 15%). Intraset velocity loss was up to 7% greater during SR. Other effects of SR included an increase in salivary cortisol area under the curve (42%), total training distress (84%) and session perceived exertion (11%). These results suggest that sleep restriction reduces markers of resistance exercise quality more than quantity, and increases perceived effort at the same relative intensity in female athletes. Big takeaway: How you feel after not sleeping is a big factor! Study covered: Sustained Sleep Restriction Reduces Resistance Exercise Quality and Quantity in Females. Knowles et al. (2022)