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Impact of Body Clock on Sports Performance

The document summarizes a study that examined the relationship between athletes' circadian rhythms and sporting performance. The study found: 1) Hockey players performed best in late afternoon on average, but individual performance varied greatly depending on whether they were "larks" or "owls". Larks peaked at noon while owls peaked around 8pm. 2) Athletes can improve performance by adjusting their sleep schedules to match their natural rhythm and the time of competitions. 3) Talent identification in schools may miss potential athletes if testing isn't done at different times of day. The findings suggest circadian rhythms contribute to England's struggles in international football matches, which are usually late evenings favoring "

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105 views4 pages

Impact of Body Clock on Sports Performance

The document summarizes a study that examined the relationship between athletes' circadian rhythms and sporting performance. The study found: 1) Hockey players performed best in late afternoon on average, but individual performance varied greatly depending on whether they were "larks" or "owls". Larks peaked at noon while owls peaked around 8pm. 2) Athletes can improve performance by adjusting their sleep schedules to match their natural rhythm and the time of competitions. 3) Talent identification in schools may miss potential athletes if testing isn't done at different times of day. The findings suggest circadian rhythms contribute to England's struggles in international football matches, which are usually late evenings favoring "

Uploaded by

Khatuusi
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as RTF, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Progress Test (2) Version 2

Semester I Name ------------


Solutions Intermediate Course -------------

I. WHAT TIME IS THE MATCH?


Most of us are aware of the power of our body clock, the internal rhythms that turns us into
'larks' or 'owls', depending on when we prefer to sleep. But what effect does this biological
phenomenon have on our sporting ability?
A study published recently in the journal Current Biology suggests that a competitor's sleeping
habits can have a dramatic impact on their performance. Researchers asked 20 female hockey
players to take part in the research. At six different times of day, the players had to perform a
series of 20-metre runs in shorter and shorter times. The results revealed that as a group the
players performed better in the late afternoon. But when the individual player's performances
were analysed, the figures told a very different story.
Researches discovered a gap of around 26% between the best and the worst times achieved by
the hockey players, depending on when they did the test. The early risers - the larks - performed
best at 12. 00, approximately eight hours earlier than the late risers - the owls - who peaked at
around 20.00. the findings suggest that in every sports event, some athletes may be at a
disadvantage because their bodies are not at their best at the time they compete. Their hearts
could be pumping more slowly, their blood may be thicker and their muscles might not be as
strong. Apparently, even a small divergence can be the difference between fourth place and
producing a record-breaking performance.
Athletes can, however, benefit from the results of the study to improve their chances of
winning. This is because the body clock can be adjusted, if they know when they perform best,
competitors can adapt their sleeping time to the hour of their event in order to ensure their
best performance, be it on the basketball court, the athletics track or in the swimming pool.
The study may also have implications in the selection of future sportsmen and women. Talent
spotting among adolescents usually takes place during school hours, although it is a well-known
fact that at least half of teenagers are 'owls'. this means that a huge number of high performers
will only just be waking up when they are being observed and they won't have reached the
point at which they perform best. This means that they may be missed by talent spotters who
are testing at the wrong time of day.
But the place where the study has the greatest implications is on the football pitch. The findings
suggest that problems with body clock could be the reason for England's struggles in the
Championns League. These matches are usually played late in the evening. which gives an
advantage to teams from countries such as Spain, which are more used to performing later in
the day. This news will be reassuring for English football fans, who often despair at the
performance of their players in international competitions.

1. The participants of the study were asked to run


A for a certain amount of time a day.
B for a certain distance a day.
C for a certain amount of time several times a day.
D for a certain distance several times a day.

2. The results of the study suggest that


A anybody can win a sports event.
B an athlete success can depend on the time of their event.
C 'larks' are more likely to win sports events than 'owls'
D only the best athletes can break records.
3. Athletes can take advantage of these results before an event to
A choose the time that they compete.
B adjust the number of hours they sleep.
C work out a bedtime schedule.
D create a suitable training programme.
4. According to the article, talent spotting would be more effective if
A testing happened at different times of the day.
B teenagers got more sleep.
C school children started doing sport at a younger age.
D high performers were more enthusiastic.
5. The most successful football teams in Europe appear to have players
A who get a good night's sleep before a match.
B whose body clock coincides with the time of the matches.
C who are used to playing in international competitions.
D whose bedtime schedule never changes.

__/5

II. Complete the sentences using a different tense for each verb. Use the past simple, present
perfect simple, or present perfect continuous.

1 We ----------------------- (try) to build this wall all morning, but we ---------------------(only finish)
the first few metres.
2 ------------------------ (you/ ever/eat) a Thai curry? I ----------------------- (have) one for the first
time last weekend.
3. I ------------------------ (not see) you for ages. What ------------------------ (you/do) recently?
4 Ruth ------------------------- (fall) asleep in class because she was very tired. She
-------------------------( not/sleep) well this month because of her noisy new neighbours.
5 My family ----------------------------- ( only move) to this town last week, but I ------------------------
(already / make) a few new friends.
6 Hey, what --------------------------- (you/do) in our house? Who are you, and how
-----------------------
(you/get) in here?

__/6

III. Complete the text with the future continuous, future perfect or first conditional form of
the verbs in brackets.

live not eat grow build suffer probably/ speak

Six billion people live in the world today, but two hundred years from now, that number
1.--------------------- to twenty or thirty billion! So where will we all live? Many
people2.----------------------- in huge cities with populations of thirty or fifty million people. By
then, some people 3. ------------------------ houses on -or under - the water too.

By the year 2200, we 4.------------------------- the same foods as we eat today, and we
5.-----------------------different languages too. Two hundred years from now, the world will be a
very different place!

How will the planet exist if it 6.-----------------------from pollution?

__/6

IV. Complete the text with the words below.

annoyed antibiotics bandage bones cut proud surprised

Hi Stacey,
I'm sorry I didn't come to your school play. I really wanted to come, but I had an accident last
night - I fell off my bike. Luckily, I didn't break any 1. -------------------, but I 2.----------------------- my
left hand badly on some glass in the road. The doctor put a 3. ----------------------- on my hand,
and he gave me some 4. ---------------------- to take as well.
I'm really 5. --------------------- about missing your play. Everyone says it was great. I'm not 6.
----------------------- that it went well because I know you've all been preparing for it for ages. I'm
happy that your parents were there, too. I'm sure they feel very 7. -------------------- of you!
__7

Word Skills

V. Complete the sentences with the correct word formed from the words in brackets.

1He's obviously ------------------- of his behaviour because he refuses to apologise. (shame)


2. It was clear that something bad had happened because of the ------------------ in her eyes.(sad)
3. He looked away ---------------- when she told him that his grandfather was very ill.(happy)
[Link] finds it hard to control her ------------------ when somebody offends her. (angry)
5. It isn't ------------------- you have a cold. You haven't been looking after yourself recently. (surprise)
[Link] Ryan's friends are ----------------- of his new laptop. (envy)
7. The captain of the team ------------------ lifted the trophy into the air. ( pride )
8. She's making a good recovery. The doctors are ------------------ that her knee will heal quickly.(hope)

__/8

VI. Many people think that teenagers spend too much time using electronic gadgets. Write an essay in
which you give your own view of the problem and propose ways of solving it.

__/4

Common questions

Powered by AI

Cultural differences in daily activity schedules, such as those seen in Spain where late afternoon and evening activities are more common, might give teams from these regions an advantage when competing in events scheduled for later times. In contrast, English teams accustomed to earlier peak performance times might struggle during late evening matches, affecting their international performance outcomes .

English football teams might struggle in the Champion's League because these matches are typically scheduled late in the evening, which does not align well with the body clocks of English players who might be more accustomed to earlier activity times. This misalignment may hinder their performance levels, putting them at a disadvantage against teams from countries like Spain, where players are more adapted to performing later in the day .

Athletes can enhance their performance by adjusting their body clock to match the timing of their events, allowing them to compete when their physical abilities are at their best. This involves altering their sleeping patterns to ensure that they are fully awake and physiologically ready during competition hours, whether it's early or late in the day. By doing so, they can reduce the disadvantages their natural body rhythms might pose .

The study suggests that many talented young athletes might be overlooked during talent scouting because such evaluations often occur during school hours when many teenagers, who are naturally more alert later in the day, are not at their performance peak. Consequently, talent scouts could miss high-performing 'owls' who perform better later in the day, implying a need to modify scouting times to capture a broader range of talent .

Neglecting body clock differences in talent scouting can result in missing out on spotting potential young athletes who perform optimally later in the day. This could lead to a less diverse talent pool in competitive sports, possibly hindering the discovery of exceptional talent that could otherwise excel if evaluated during their peak performance times .

An athlete's body clock can significantly influence their performance as it affects physiological aspects such as heart rate, blood consistency, and muscle strength throughout the day. Athletes who are larks, or early risers, tend to perform best around midday, while night owls peak later in the evening. This difference can lead to a 26% variation in performance results, which is crucial in competitive sports. Adjusting sleep schedules to align with event timings can help athletes optimize their performance .

Athletic organizations can use findings from body clock studies to devise schedules that align with athletes' peak performance times. This might include adjusting training schedules, organizing competitions during optimal periods, and even planning travel arrangements to minimize jet lag’s effects. By implementing such strategies, athletes could compete at their highest capabilities, improving overall competitive outcomes .

Training programs could be restructured to consider athletes' body clocks, potentially scheduling more intensive training sessions at times when athletes are naturally more alert and physically advantaged. Identifying each athlete's peak performance window through testing could enable personalized training schedules, optimizing individual and team performance during competitions that align with these times .

Organizers could schedule major sports events at times that allow all competitors to perform near their peak physiological times. This might involve holding matches or events at neutral times so that differences in natural body clocks across athletes from different regions do not unfairly disadvantage certain individuals or teams, ensuring a more level playing field .

Understanding body clock variations could impact various fields such as education, healthcare, and work environments by tailoring schedules to optimize performance and wellbeing. In education, classes could be scheduled according to students' alertness peaks; in healthcare, medical procedures could align with patients' physiological readiness. Additionally, work schedules could be adjusted to enhance productivity and reduce health issues related to misalignment of work hours and natural circadian rhythms .

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