For my independent project, I researched how different environmental and behavioral nap conditions influenced players' motor skills and cognitive performance. I hypothesized that optimal sleep and nap durations would enhance performance, while factors like phone usage before naps could negatively affect it. To test this, I analyzed participants' serve accuracy, reaction time, and agility after sleeping under various nap conditions. My study provided insights into the relationship between sleep habits and athletic performance, highlighting the potential benefits of strategic napping for precision-based sports.
Sleep plays a vital role in physical and mental recovery, especially for athletes who need to be in peak condition. Numerous studies have observed how a full night’s sleep affects athletic performance. For instance, a 2017 study on sleep extensions found that UCLA basketball players showed improved performance overall compared to preliminary testing. The players demonstrated faster timed sprints following sleep extension 16.2 ± 0.61 sec at baseline vs. 15.5 ± 0.54 sec at the end of sleep extension, higher shooting accuracy with free throw percentage increasing by 9% and 3-point field goal percentage increasing by 9.2%. However, there remains a gap in evaluating the effects of naps on athletic performance, as very few studies have explored this. This study observed the effects of various nap conditions on sleep quality and athletic performance among table tennis players. Surveys conducted before and after naps in different room temperatures, sound levels, and phone usage conditions, along with table tennis performance testing, are expected to show improvements when players napped under optimal conditions compared to baseline testing. Specifically, improvements are expected in areas such as reaction time, agility, and serving accuracy. This data would provide evidence of a positive correlation between pre-match naps and enhanced table tennis performance. Understanding how naps impact performance could help in creating advice for athletes to perform at their best consistently while also promoting long-term health.
Keywords: Napping, Nap survey, Table Tennis, Room Temperature, Noise levels, Serve Accuracy, Reaction time, Agility, Pre-match Rest