Exploring why some athletes perform better than others under stress

Lack of sleep and stress hinder athletic performance, but some athletes may be better at performing competitively despite sleep issues and stress. In a new JNeurosci paper, researchers led by Yan Sun, from Peking University, looked for predictive behavioral and neural markers in athletes who maintain their performance level following sleep deprivation and under stress. 

The researchers assessed college and professional athletes’ stress levels and cognitive changes after 24 h of sleep deprivation, then followed their competitive performances for up to 2 months. Increased anxiety and stress hormone levels from lack of sleep did not predict athletic performance in competitions. However, how much control athletes had over their attention could predict how at risk they were for worsened athletic performance. The researchers also identified a brain signal involved in impaired attentional control from sleep deprivation that could potentially predict worsened athletic performance. 

According to the authors, this work suggests that overnight sleep deprivation is a stressor that those with stronger attentional control may be more easily able to overcome as they perform over time. According to Sun, “Cognitive predictors after sleep deprivation could help athletes and coaches to monitor training states, manage stress more effectively to enhance performance, or adjust athlete participation arrangements.” 

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About JNeurosci

JNeurosci was launched in 1981 as a means to communicate the findings of the highest quality neuroscience research to the growing field. Today, the journal remains committed to publishing cutting-edge neuroscience that will have an immediate and lasting scientific impact, while responding to authors' changing publishing needs, representing breadth of the field and diversity in authorship.

About The Society for Neuroscience

The Society for Neuroscience is the world's largest organization of scientists and physicians devoted to understanding the brain and nervous system. The nonprofit organization, founded in 1969, now has nearly 35,000 members in more than 95 countries.