Analysis of sleep quality and quantity during a half-season 
in world-class handball players

Roger Font; Manuel Ortega-Becerra; Víctor Tremps; Antoni Vicente; Ana Merayo; Milos Mallol

doi:10.5114/biolsport.2025.148578

eISSN: 2083-1862
ISSN: 0860-021X

Biology of Sport

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3/2025
vol. 42

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abstract:

Original paper

Analysis of sleep quality and quantity during a half-season in world-class handball players

Roger Font

^{1, 2, 3}

,

Manuel Ortega-Becerra

⁴

,

Víctor Tremps

^{3, 5}

,

Antoni Vicente

⁶

,

Ana Merayo

⁷

,

Milos Mallol

³

Research group in Tecnologia Aplicada a l’Alt Rendiment i la Salut (TAARS), Tecnocampus, Department of Health Sciences, Pompeu Fabra University, Mataró, Spain
GRCE Research Group, National Institut of Physical Education of Catalonia (INEFC), Barcelona, Spain
FC Barcelona Innovation Hub, Barcelona, Spain
Faculty of Sport, Physical Performance and Sports Research Center, Pablo de Olavide University, Seville, Spain
Department of Sports Sciences, Ramon Llull University, FPCEE Blanquerna, Barcelona, Spain
National Institute of Physical Education of Catalonia (INEFC), University of Lleida, Barcelona, Spain
Unidad de Medicina del Deporte, Consejo Catalán del Deporte, Barcelona, Spain

Biol Sport. 2025;42(3):247–255

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/biolsport.2025.148578

Online publish date: 2025/03/18

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The study aimed to analyse the quality of rest of elite handball players during a half-season and to examine the differences between home and away rest. Adequate rest is key to recovery and performance, but the high density of matches and travel may affect sleep quality and duration. A longitudinal study was conducted over 14 weeks during the 2020–2021 season using sleep monitoring rings in 13 elite handball players to measure physiological and sleep parameters. The variables were compared in different situations such as after a training session, home and away matches, and periods with their national teams. Oura rings were used to collect variables such as heart rate variability, respiratory rate, sleep duration, onset latency and efficiency. Players wore the rings daily excluding training and matches. The data were analysed by comparing the different variablesstudied. At the physiological level, there were no significant differences between situations. However, moderate differences were found in total time in bed between home matches and travel days (ES = 0.57). There was also less sleep time after matches and travel. Players demonstrated good autonomic flexibility without physiological alterations. However, recovery strategiesshould be improved asrest time was not adequate after matches and travel. Individual profiles could help detect recovery deficits.

keywords:

Analysis of sleep quality and quantity during a half-season in world-class handball players

Roger Font 1, 2, 3 , Manuel Ortega-Becerra 4 , Víctor Tremps 3, 5 , Antoni Vicente 6 , Ana Merayo 7 , Milos Mallol 3

Recovery, Team sports, Elite team, Heart rate, Sleep quality

Roger Font

^{1, 2, 3}

,

Manuel Ortega-Becerra

⁴

,

Víctor Tremps

^{3, 5}

,

Antoni Vicente

⁶

,

Ana Merayo

⁷

,

Milos Mallol

³