Nap to perform? Match-day napping on perceived match performance in professional rugby union athletes.

This article examines the prevalence and effects of pre-match daytime napping on self-rated and coach-rated performance among professional Rugby Union athletes during a 17-match Super Rugby season. Findings indicate that 86% of the 30 athletes napped on match days, averaging 32 minutes per nap, with a higher frequency of naps taken before away matches compared to home matches. Most athletes preferred napping less than four hours before kick-off and reported napping to increase energy and performance, with 87% perceiving a performance benefit. While napping was associated with a 6.7-fold increase in the odds of athletes rating their own performance as "good" when the team won, no significant relationship was found between napping and coaches' performance ratings. The study suggests that match-day napping is a common strategy among professional Rugby Union players, particularly before away games, potentially supporting self-perceived performance through mood enhancement.