Timing-based strategies to minimize the impact of long-haul travel on sleep: A pilot study in elite athletes traveling for competition

Long-haul travel poses significant challenges to sleep in elite athletes, yet evidence-based interventions tested in competitive settings remain scarce. This study investigated the effects of timing-based interventions on sleep in 10 national-level Canadian speed skaters prior to a World Cup competition in Beijing (13 time zones crossed). Athletes followed a tailored sleep schedule upon arrival and for the days preceding the competition. Total sleep time in Beijing was not different from Canada (p = 0.254) or pre-season (p = 0.999) and was lower the night before travel (p < 0.001) due to the early flight to Beijing. When comparing data with a similar dataset presenting no intervention, bedtime was successfully delayed and resulted in later wake-up time and longer total sleep time. Total sleep time increased by ~10 min/night, suggesting adjustments in sleep–wake rhythm during the first days upon arrival were still present. Race performance was unaffected by travel, with no time effect on overall rank (p = 0.74). These preliminary findings suggest that individualized timing-based strategies might support sleep regulation and circadian re-synchronization in elite athletes following long-haul travel. Further studies are warranted to confirm these results in larger samples and explore the effectiveness of customized timing-based intervention on different time changes and on performance.