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Purpose: To investigate the influence of menstrual-cycle (MC) phase on measures of recovery status, that is, resting heart rate, perceived sleep quality, and physical and mental readiness to train, among female endurance athletes. Methods: Daily data were recorded during 1 to 4 MCs (ie, duration ≥21 and ≤35 d, ovulatory, luteal phase ≥10 d) of 41 trained-to-elite-level female endurance athletes (mean [SD]: age 27 [8] y, weekly training: 9 [3] h). Resting heart rate was assessed daily using a standardized protocol, while perceived sleep quality and physical and mental readiness to train were assessed using a visual analog scale (1–10). Four MC phases (early follicular phase [EFP], late follicular phase, ovulatory phase, and midluteal phase [MLP]) were determined using the calendar-based counting method and urinary ovulation-prediction test. Data were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models. Results: Resting heart rate was significantly higher in MLP (1.7 beats·min−1, P =.006) compared with EFP without significant differences between the other MC phases. Perceived sleep quality was impaired in MLP compared with late follicular phase (−0.3, P =.035). Physical readiness to train was lower both in ovulatory phase (−0.6, P =.015) and MLP (−0.5, P =.026) compared with EFP. Mental readiness to train did not show any significant differences between MC phases (P >.05). Conclusions: Although significant, the findings had negligible to small effect sizes, indicating that MC phase is likely not the main determinant of changes in measures of recovery status but, rather, one of the many possible stressors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of the coach-athlete relationship has been linked to athlete burnout in previous studies. However, few studies have examined individual factors among athletes that may affect this association, and in particular among young athletes with high activity involvement. Hence, in the present study, we studied the potential mediating role of athletes' resiliency in the effect of the working alliance of the coach and the athlete on the athletes' levels of burnout. Six-hundred and seventy junior athletes from 21 Norwegian high schools specialized for sports participated in a web-based syrvey study where 49% males and 51% were females, and 78% o f the athletes had ambitions to become future elite athletes in their sports. Structural equation modeling analyses showed a strong positive association between the coach-athlete working alliance and resilience, and a strong negative association between resilience and burnout. A moderate association was found between the coach-athlete working alliance athlete burnout. Furthermore, a mediational relationship was detected, where the effect of working alliance on less burnout partly was explained by an indirect effect of working alliance through more resilience in the athlete. The current study highlights the importance of a strong working alliance between coaches and athletes to develop athlete resilience, and the importance of athlete resilience as a buffer to prevent occurences of athlete burnout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study investigated whether athletes with negatively charged psychological reactivity that includes worry and negative affect experience more sleep disturbance in comparison with athletes whose psychological reactivity involves positive affect. Objective sleep monitoring for a period of 3-4 months was utilized in 32 junior elite athletes. Athletes completed the Positive and Negative Affect Scale, and the Penn State Worry Questionnaire before and after the sleep-monitoring period. Results showed changes and disturbances in sleep as a result of a specific psychological reactivity involving high worry and negative affect. On the other hand, positive affect was associated with normal sleep/wake patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to explore the association between subjective performance and coach-athlete working alliance, positive and negative affect, and worry among Norwegian junior elite athletes. A sample of 358 junior elite athletes from 3 different high schools specialized in sports participated in the investigation. A theoretical model was tested, in which working alliance between coaches and athletes was expected to be associated with positive and negative affect, worry and subjective performance. Results show that this theoretical model explains 27% of the variance in subjective performance, whereas working alliance is significantly associated with positive and negative affect. Furthermore, worry, and positive and negative affect are significantly associated with subjective performance, while worry is significantly associated with negative affect. These results are discussed based on the Cognitive Activation Theory of Stress, and indicate that there are three crucial facets essential for building an effective coach-athlete relationship. These include, firstly, coaches' abilities to establish strong emotional bonds with their athletes; secondly, coaches' competence in setting goals that are mutually understood; and thirdly, determination of tasks which are perceived by athletes as helpful in goal attainment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the influence of menstrual-cycle (MC) phase on objective sleep and perceived recovery following high- (HIT) and low-intensity training (LIT) in endurance-trained women., Methods: Fifteen naturally menstruating, endurance-trained women completed standardized HIT and LIT sessions during the early follicular phase (EFP), ovulatory phase (OP), and midluteal phase (MLP) of 2 MCs. Overnight sleep was monitored using a Somnofy sleep monitor after each training session, and perceived recovery was assessed after 24 hours using self-report scales. MC phases were determined using the 3-step method, and noneumenorrheic MCs were retrospectively excluded from analysis., Results: MC phase had a main effect on wake after sleep onset (P ≤ .001), with higher values in MLP (33 [22] min) than EFP (22 [19] min, P = .043) and OP (14 [9] min, P = .001), sleep efficiency (P = .033), with lower values in MLP (87% [6%]) than OP (90% [8%], P = .047), and light sleep (P = .023) with higher values in MLP (59% [6%]) than EFP (54% [7%], P = .037). Session type had a main effect on perceived recovery (P < .018) and perceived muscle soreness (P = .007), indicating lower perceived recovery and higher perceived muscle soreness following HIT compared to LIT (P < .001, P = .018, respectively). No interactions were found between MC phase and session type for any of the measured variables., Conclusions: Objective sleep quality, but not perceived recovery, was influenced by MC phase, as indicated by small impairments to multiple indices of objective sleep during MLP. There were no interactions between MC phase and session type, indicating that the effect of MC on sleep and recovery is consistent regardless of session type.

Introduction: Insomnia is prevalent among patients visiting physiotherapists due to musculoskeletal complaints and associated with poorer pain prognosis. Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) may be effective for improving sleep quality and pain-related outcomes in these patients, but its availability and utility are limited in daily physiotherapy practice. The aim of this randomised controlled trial (RCT) is to evaluate the effectiveness of digital CBT-I in addition to usual treatment in patients with chronic musculoskeletal complaints and insomnia, compared with usual treatment only., Methods and Analysis: In this RCT, eligible and consenting participants will be randomised (1:1 ratio) to one of two interventions: (1) digital CBT-I adjunct to physiotherapy treatment or (2) usual physiotherapy treatment. Patients with musculoskeletal complaints and insomnia visiting a physiotherapist in Norway will be invited to participate in the study. We aim to include 188 participants to detect a difference in the primary outcome. Outcome variables will be assessed at baseline (prior to randomisation) and at 6-week, 3-month, 6-month and 12-month follow-up. The primary outcome is between-group difference in insomnia severity, assessed with the Insomnia Severity Index (0-28 points) at 3 months. Secondary outcomes include between-group differences in pain intensity, physical function, work ability, health-related quality of life, mental distress, and self-reported use of sleep and pain medication. Exploratory analyses will identify patient characteristics influencing the effect of the digital intervention., Ethics and Dissemination: This trial is approved by the Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics in Central Norway (Ref. 2023/533381). The results of the trial will be published in peer-review journals and disseminated at national and international conferences., Trial Registration Number: ISRCTN91221906., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)