Muscle pain induced by novel eccentric exercise does not disturb the sleep of normal young men

This experiment sought to determine if delayed-onset muscle pain following novel eccentric exercise would disrupt sleep. Nine young adult men performed eccentric exercise and, during a separate week, concentric exercise consisting of 8 sets of 10 repetitions at 80% of 1-repetition maximum for 3 muscle groups. Sleep was assessed polysomnographically the night before and 2 nights following the exercise bouts. Muscle pain intensity in the biceps, triceps, and quadriceps muscle groups was significantly increased following eccentric exercise (all P < .02), and upper arm range of motion was significantly decreased following eccentric exercise (F = 19.19; df [degrees of freedom] = 2,16; P < .0001). A Condition-by-Trial interaction was observed for stage 1 sleep (F = 6.91; df = 2,16; P = .007), and minutes of stage 1 sleep were reduced following eccentric exercise and increased following concentric exercise. In general, however, the hypothesized sleep disruptions following eccentric exercise were not observed. It is concluded that delayed onset muscle pain induced by novel eccentric exercise does not disturb the sleep of normal young men.