Stress Management in Athletes: Predictive Effects of Sleep Deprivation-Induced Cognitive Control Changes on Competition Performance

Abstract

Effective stress management is crucial for optimal competition performance in athletes. Sleep deprivation (SD) can elevate physiological and psychological stress, and the SD-changed cognitive and emotion may reflect stress management capability and hold the predictive possibility for athletes’ performance in official competitions over some time; however, it lacks evidence. Here, we aim to increase stress level for athletes by 24 h SD and identify the predictive effects of cognitive and emotional changes after 24 h SD on sports performance in official competitions over ∼1.5 months. Sixty-five winter sports athletes (35 males) were recruited from college (test set) and professional athletes (validation set) separately. The anxiety and cortisol levels were assessed at baseline, after 24 h SD, and official competition. Athletes underwent cognitive tasks (Stroop, Go/No-Go, Competitive Reaction Time Task, and Iowa Gambling Task) and the event-related potential recording at baseline and after SD. Competition performance levels (supernormal, normal, and abnormal) were categorized based on a consensus of subjective and objective evaluations. We found anxiety and cortisol levels following 24 h SD were equaled with those observed in official competition. Notably, only the decreased incongruent Stroop response after 24 h SD was negatively associated with performance in official competition. The corresponding P3 component, particularly the delta frequency at the central lobe, largely mediated this effect. These findings highlight that athletes who effectively employ cognitive skills to manage stress under acute SD tend to exhibit superior performance.