Matutinidad-Vespertinidad en atletas de élite entre 13 y 16 años

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Abstract

The knowledge of athletes’ morningness-eveningness orientation is crucial for sports professionals to be able to synchronize training schedules to optimize both performance and well-being. This study aimed to investigate morningness-eveningness orientation in young athletes due to the significant age-related changes they undergo, including biological and psychosocial factors. The sample consisted of 72 elite athletes (39 females and 33 males) aged between 13 and 16 years (M = 14.9; SD = 1.7). To assess participants’ morningness-eveningness, the Composite Scale of Morningness (Smith et al., 1989) was utilized. No significant associations were found between morningness-eveningness orientation, age, and biological sex. Athletes exhibited a greater inclination towards morningness compared to the general adolescent population. Lastly, eveningness orientation predominated among athletes engaged in the sprinting discipline. It is posited that the demands placed on these athletes, both academically and athletically, including strict schedules, physical requirements, and restrictions, constitute exogenous factors delaying the transition to eveningness—a phenomenon previously identified during adolescence in the general population. Additionally, it is suggested that the specificities of various athletic disciplines, such as training characteristics, nutritional needs, and biochemical demands, may influence the variability of athletes’ chronotypes.