Chronotype and its impact on balance, hand-eye coordination, lower limb power and self-efficacy among collegiate athletes: An observational study

Chronotype refers to an individual's natural preference for being active in the morning or evening and may influence physical and cognitive performance. This study examines its impact on balance, lower limb power, hand-eye coordination, and self-efficacy in collegiate athletes across morning and evening sessions. A total of 54 athletes (27 morning-type, 27 evening-type) completed physical, cognitive, and self-efficacy tests in two-time windows: early morning (07:00h-10:00h) and late afternoon (15:00h-18:00h) to assess time-of-day effects on performance. Morning chronotype exhibited superior performance in balance and lower limb power during morning sessions, while evening chronotypes excelled in these measures during evening sessions. Hand eye coordination and self-efficacy did not show significant changes across chronotypes or times of day, suggesting these abilities are less affected by the body's internal clock. These findings highlight the potential benefits of tailoring training schedules to an athlete's chronotype to enhance performance.