The University of Western Australia has been working with the Western Force rugby union team to explore how Super Rugby travel affects the physical and cognitive performance of players.
PhD student Kanon Uchiyama, from UWA's School of Human Sciences, said the Western Force are geographically isolated from other teams and understanding the effect of travel demands could help the team win the competition.
"If travel disrupts sleep, and subsequently performance, the need for research and resources to ensure the team is equipped to be comfortable with 'tour life' is crucial," Ms Uchiyama said.
"These are big men in small seats on flights for five to 14 hours just two days before they have to play an 80-minute full-contact game and then they travel back the next day and do it all over again. It can become physically and mentally draining."
Researchers are investigating the impact of in-season travel schedules on the different stages of sleep using home-based devices that record brain wave activity, heart rate, breathing and movements during a night.
The series of studies found travel could alter the stages of sleep — including REM, light sleep and deep sleep — and diminish physical and cognitive performance, which was influenced by many things including travel direction, duration, schedule, time-zone shift and destination.
"Because of the different flights, the strategies to combat the effects will differ for each travel journey," Ms Uchiyama said.
"The most important learning is that players understand the travel demands and continue to embrace the challenges of playing for a West Australian side."
As a result, players and staff are working to improve and continue to invest in resources to develop strategies to tackle the effects of travel.
"Athletes, coaches and management staff should try to ensure travel schedules do not disrupt sleep schedules," Ms Uchiyama said.
"A travel plan to minimise impact on performance will allow teams to show up on game day knowing they have prepared the best they could have to play and win."
