Sleep loss costs performance: Physical, cognitive, and psychological impairments after 26 h of sleep deprivation in student athletes

The objective of the current research was to examine the impact of 26 h of sustained wakefulness on endurance performance, cognitive abilities, and psychological state in young recreational runners. Thirteen male physical education students participated, in a randomized sequence, in two test sessions, following either a regular sleep night or complete sleep deprivation. During each session, participants took part in a 3-km running test on a 400-meter outdoor track. Cognitive assessments, including attention and reaction time tasks, as well as psychological evaluations (Feeling Scale and Hooper), were carried out before and after the run. Results indicated that sleep deprivation significantly increased the time to complete the 3-km run by 4.8% (p < 0.001). In addition, attention and reaction time were reduced by 14% (p < 0.001) and 15.3% (p < 0.05), respectively. Psychological measures also showed notable changes, with a 62.5% decrease in well-being (p < 0.01), a 31.5% increase in sleepiness (p < 0.001), a 16.5% rise in stress (p < 0.01), and a 12.7% increase in pain sensation (p < 0.05). In conclusion, 26 h of continuous wakefulness led to declines in attention, alertness, and psychological state, ultimately resulting in impaired 3-km running performance in young recreational runners.