Improvement in Quality of Sleep and Mood in Bodybuilders With Massage Therapy After Strenuous Training

Decreased quality of sleep and negative changes in athletes' moods following the stress of strenuous training, reduced their performance and quality of life. Therefore, this study aims to examine the effect of massage therapy following intense exercise training on the quality of sleep and mood status in bodybuilders.

The present study included two control (n=15) and experimental (n=15) groups of male bodybuilders who performed the exercise program with an intensity of 80-90% of maximum strength for 4 weeks (3 sessions per week). They gave Each training session consisted of performing 8 movements in the form of 3-5 turns and 4-6 repetitions of each movement. At the end of each session, the control group actively and the experimental group received 15 minutes of massage and performed the cooling phase. Subjects completed Brunel Mood Scale (BRUMS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) in two stages. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS and Analysis of Covariance.

The results indicated that the sleep quality of the subjects in the experimental group improved compared to the control group (P = 0.001). In addition, it was shown that massage therapy after each session of strenuous training is an effective factor in improving the mood of bodybuilders (P = 0.001).

Considering the low quality of sleep and the higher level of negative moods, especially after intense training among athletes, and also the relationship of these factors with their quality of life and athletic performance, the results of the present study show that the use of massage therapy after  training can be an effective way to improve sleep quality and mood of athletes (especially bodybuilders).