Effects of a 40-min nap on performance following evening exercise before, during, and after Ramadan fasting.

This study examined the effect of a 40-min nap (N40) the day after a night session of the Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test (LIST), before, during and after Ramadan. In a randomized crossover design, fifteen male soccer players completed the LIST in the evening (2100h), followed by either a N40 or no nap (N0) the next day, at 1400h. Performance on the 5-m shuttle run test (5mSRT), digit cancellation test (DCT), and subjective measures (i.e., sleepiness, rating of perceived exertion, and muscle soreness) were assessed at 1700h. During Ramadan, 5mSRT and DCT performance decreased compared to before Ramadan in the N0 condition (p<0.05). However, N40 improved 5mSRT and DCT performance across all periods compared to N0 (p<0.05). In conclusion, a 40-min of nap opportunity is an effective strategy for improving physical and cognitive performance during and following Ramadan after a bout of exercise the previous night.    .