Effects of sleep deprivation on serum testosterone and cortisol response followed aerobic activity

Sleep is restorative process for the nervous system. There are many situations in which sleep is disturbed prior to an athletic event. However, the effect of sleep deprivation on physiological body function in response to exercise remains unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of sleep deprivation on serum testosterone and cortisol response followed aerobic activity. 10 male physical education students were voluntarily participated in this quasi-experimental study. Study was prformed in two separate occasions; control and experimental within two weeks. In the cotrol occasion, normal sleep and aerobic activity and in the experimental occasion, sleep deprivation and aerobic activity was applied. Aerobic activity was performed on bicycle ergometer for 30 minutes at intensity of 70 to 75 percent of maximum heart rate. Changes in serum testosterone and cortisol concentrations in before and after aerobic activity in both occasions were analyzed by the two repeated measures ANOVA using spss software. The results showed that sleep deprivation has no significant effect on serum levels of testosterone (p=0.766) and cortisol (p=0.949) followed aerobic activity. Sleep deprivation does not affect serum levels of testosterone and cortisol followed sub maximal aerobic activity.