This study investigated the effects of a single-night sleep extension protocol on physical performance and cognitive function in physically active university students across different times of day. Using a within-subjects, counterbalanced crossover design, 24 physically active university students (17 males, 7 females; age: 22.7 ± 1.6 years) completed performance assessments under normal-sleep and sleep-extension conditions. Participants’ sleep was monitored via wrist actigraphy, and a comprehensive assessment battery comprising vertical jumps, Y-Balance tests, medicine-ball throws, 5 m shuttle-run tests, reaction-time tests, and digit-cancellation tests was administered at baseline (8 PM), morning (8 AM), and afternoon (4 PM). Sleep extension increased total sleep time by approximately 55 min (531.3 ± 56.8 min vs. 476.5 ± 64.2 min; p < 0.001, d = 0.91). Significant improvements were observed in 5 m shuttle-run performance at 8 AM (best distance: 102.8 ± 11.9 m vs. 93.3 ± 8.5 m, p < 0.001, d = 0.93; fatigue index: 13.1 ± 8.3% vs. 21.2 ± 9.5%, p < 0.001, d = 0.90), squat-jump heights (28.2 ± 8.0 cm vs. 26.3 ± 7.2 cm, p = 0.005, d = 0.25), simple reaction time (252.8 ± 55.3 ms vs. 296.4 ± 75.2 ms, p < 0.001, d = 0.66), and digit-cancellation performance (67.6 ± 12.6 vs. 63.0 ± 10.0 targets, p = 0.006, d = 0.40). Sleep extension significantly enhances both physical and cognitive performance in physically active individuals, with effects more pronounced during morning hours, partially attenuating typical circadian performance decline and establishing sleep extension as an effective, non-pharmacological strategy for optimizing performance capabilities.

Caffeine is widely used to enhance cognitive performance, but its efficacy may vary with the administration route and circadian timing. This study compared the acute effects of caffeine capsule ingestion and caffeine mouth rinsing on cognitive performance across morning, midday, and evening sessions in well-trained, adolescent male volleyball players. Twenty-four athletes completed three randomized, double-blind, crossover trials involving a caffeine capsule (3 mg·kg⁻¹), a caffeine mouth rinse of the same dose (expectorated), and a placebo. Cognitive performance was assessed using simple and choice reaction time tests and the Stroop task, alongside a side-effects questionnaire. Both caffeine forms improved performance versus the placebo, with the greatest enhancements occurring at midday and moderate benefits evident in the morning. Capsule ingestion produced the most consistent improvements across reaction speed and executive control, whereas mouth rinsing elicited smaller, task-dependent effects, particularly at midday. No consistent or practically relevant benefits were observed for either caffeine condition in the evening, when cognitive performance was naturally highest. Side effects were mild and infrequent, with occasional headaches after capsule ingestion. These findings indicate that caffeine capsules most effectively enhance cognitive performance when baseline alertness is suboptimal, while caffeine mouth rinsing represents a practical ingestion-free alternative with moderate efficacy.

Wrestling is a physically and mentally demanding combat sport that requires discipline, focus, and emotional control. Although its physiological effects ar

Background. The onset of menopause and the perimenopausal period is often associated with the manifestation of psychological and physical symptoms that can adversely affect a woman’s quality of life. Yoga has been identified as a promising non-pharmacological intervention for alleviating these symptoms. Materials and methods. This randomized controlled trial assessed the effects of a 12-week Hatha Yoga intervention on psychological well-being and quality of life in 100 perimenopausal women (yoga group: n=50; control group: n=50). The participants in the yoga group engaged in Hatha Yoga practices, while the control group received no intervention. The psychological outcomes, including depression, anxiety, sleep quality, stress, climacteric symptoms, and self-esteem, were measured using standardized scales before and after the intervention. Hormonal analysis and anthropometric measures were also collected. Results. The yoga group demonstrated significant improvements in all psychological parameters compared to the control group. Depression and anxiety scores reduced by 6.3 points (p=0.001, d=0.78) and 6.8 points (p<0.001, d=0.82), respectively, while perceived stress, sleep quality, climacteric symptoms, and self-esteem improved significantly (p<0.01). The study also revealed a substantial increase in quality of life in the yoga group (p<0.001, d=0.86), along with a reduction in neuroticism scores (p<0.001, d=0.79). In contrast, the control group exhibited minimal changes across all measures. Conclusions. These findings highlight yoga’s effectiveness in alleviating psychological distress and enhancing quality of life among perimenopausal women. Yoga serves as an accessible and holistic approach to managing menopausal symptoms and promoting mental well-being. It is recommended that further research should focus on investigating the potential long-term benefits and physiological mechanisms underlying these positive alterations.

Background: Repeated vertical jump tests are widely used to assess neuromuscular function and lower limb performance. However, inconsistent formulas for average power output produce large discrepancies, limiting comparability across studies and limiting practical applications. This study aimed to compare three different models for the calculation of average power output, Bosco, Miron Georgescu (MG), and Modified Miron Georgescu-15s (MGM-15), applied to identical jump test data, in order to evaluate their computational behavior and practical relevance in athlete performance profiling. Methods: A single-group quasi-experimental study was conducted with 25 physically active male university students (mean age: 21.4 ± 2.7 years), who performed a 15 s repeated vertical jump test on the OptoJump Next system. Raw parameters including flight time, contact time, and jump height were recorded and exported. Average power output (W/kg) was subsequently calculated using three distinct computational models, each applied to the same dataset of flight and contact times. A repeated-measures ANOVA was used to compare outputs across models, with Bonferroni-adjusted pairwise comparisons for post hoc analysis (α = 0.05). Results: Significant differences were observed (p < 0.001). The Bosco model produced the highest values of average power (40.13 ± 8.56 W/kg), followed by MG (21.07 ± 5.92 W/kg), while MGM-15 yielded the lowest and most consistent outputs (4.08 ± 0.61 W/kg). Effect sizes were very large (η²_p = 0.952), confirming that calculation models strongly influenced the outcomes. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that average power output differed markedly across formulas, despite identical performance data. Bosco and MG models tended to overestimate values due to simplified assumptions, whereas the MGM-15 method produced lower and more consistent outputs that may better capture repeated jump demands. The standardization of computational models is fundamental to ensure comparability and to improve athlete performance profiling in research and practice.

Background and Study Aim. Plyometric training is widely utilized to improve athletic performance by increasing explosive power, speed, and agility. Despite extensive research on its benefits for professional athletes, there is a lack of empirical studies investigating how plyometric exercise training influences specific fitness components in novice volleyball players. This study aimed to investigate the impact of a 4-week plyometric training program on particular physical fitness components in novice volleyball players under 21 years of age. Material and Methods. This study involved 40 novice volleyball players under 21 years of age (M = 19.28 ± 0.93 years). Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 20), which engaged in an organized 4-week plyometric training program, or a control group (n = 20), which adhered to their conventional training schedule. Performance in lateral cone hops, burpees, squat jumps, box jumps, and a 40-meter sprint was evaluated through pre- and post-test assessments. Data were analyzed using paired and independent samples t-tests, with a significance threshold of p < 0.05. Results. The results showed substantial enhancements in all assessed training metrics for the experimental group relative to the control group. Significant improvements were noted in lateral cone hops, squat jumps, and sprint performance. The results indicate that short-term plyometric training markedly improves specific fitness components essential for volleyball performance. Conclusions. A four-week plyometric training program significantly enhances particular fitness components in U21 novice volleyball players. These findings underscore the need to include plyometric exercises in training programs to improve athletic performance. Future studies should investigate the long-term effects and adaptations across various levels of athletes.