Impact of evening blue light exposure timing on sleep, motor, and 
cognitive performance in young athletes with intermediate 
chronotype

Mohamed Abdelkader Souissi; Chadha Gouasmia; Ismail Dergaa; Jihed Faleh; Omar Trabelsi; Katja Weiss; Thomas Rosemann; Wissem Dhahbi; Nizar Souissi; Beat Knechtle

doi:10.5114/biolsport.2025.146787

eISSN: 2083-1862
ISSN: 0860-021X

Biology of Sport

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abstract:

Original paper

Impact of evening blue light exposure timing on sleep, motor, and cognitive performance in young athletes with intermediate chronotype

Mohamed Abdelkader Souissi

^{1, 2}

,

Chadha Gouasmia

^{1, 2}

,

Ismail Dergaa

^{1, 3}

,

Jihed Faleh

¹

,

Omar Trabelsi

^{1, 4}

,

Katja Weiss

⁵

,

Thomas Rosemann

⁵

,

Wissem Dhahbi

^{4, 6}

,

Nizar Souissi

^{1, 7}

,

Beat Knechtle

^{5, 8}

Physical Activity, Sport and Health Research Unit, UR18JS01, National Observatory of Sport, Tunis, Tunisia
High Institute of Sport and Physical Education Gafsa, Gafsa University, Gafsa, Tunisia
Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), Doha, Qatar
High Institute of Sport and Physical Education of El Kef, University of Jendouba, El Kef, Tunisia
Institute of Primary Care, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Qatar Police Academy, Police College, Training Department, Doha, Qatar
High Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Ksar Said, University of Manouba, Manouba, Tunisia
Medbase St. Gallen Am Vadianplatz, St Gallen, Switzerland

Biol Sport. 2025;42(3):61–68

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/biolsport.2025.146787

Online publish date: 2025/01/20

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EndNote

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AMA

Souissi M, Gouasmia C, Dergaa I, et al. Impact of evening blue light exposure timing on sleep, motor, and 
cognitive performance in young athletes with intermediate 
chronotype. Biology of Sport. 2025;42(3):61-68. doi:10.5114/biolsport.2025.146787.

APA

Souissi, M., Gouasmia, C., Dergaa, I., Faleh, J., Trabelsi, O.,  & Weiss, K. et al. (2025). Impact of evening blue light exposure timing on sleep, motor, and 
cognitive performance in young athletes with intermediate 
chronotype. Biology of Sport, 42(3), 61-68. https://doi.org/10.5114/biolsport.2025.146787

Chicago

Souissi, Mohamed Abdelkader, Chadha Gouasmia, Ismail Dergaa, Jihed Faleh, Omar Trabelsi, Katja Weiss,  and Thomas Rosemann et al. 2025. "Impact of evening blue light exposure timing on sleep, motor, and 
cognitive performance in young athletes with intermediate 
chronotype". Biology of Sport 42 (3): 61-68. doi:10.5114/biolsport.2025.146787.

Harvard

Souissi, M., Gouasmia, C., Dergaa, I., Faleh, J., Trabelsi, O., Weiss, K., Rosemann, T., Dhahbi, W., Souissi, N.,  and Knechtle, B. (2025). Impact of evening blue light exposure timing on sleep, motor, and 
cognitive performance in young athletes with intermediate 
chronotype. Biology of Sport, 42(3), pp.61-68. https://doi.org/10.5114/biolsport.2025.146787

MLA

Souissi, Mohamed Abdelkader et al. "Impact of evening blue light exposure timing on sleep, motor, and 
cognitive performance in young athletes with intermediate 
chronotype." Biology of Sport, vol. 42, no. 3, 2025, pp. 61-68. doi:10.5114/biolsport.2025.146787.

Vancouver

Souissi M, Gouasmia C, Dergaa I, Faleh J, Trabelsi O, Weiss K et al. Impact of evening blue light exposure timing on sleep, motor, and 
cognitive performance in young athletes with intermediate 
chronotype. Biology of Sport. 2025;42(3):61-68. doi:10.5114/biolsport.2025.146787.

PlumX metrics:

Evening exposure to blue light has been shown to negatively affect sleep patterns and cognitive function. However, the effect of the specific timing of blue light exposure on motor performance and sleep quality in adolescent athletes remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the impact of evening blue light exposure (BLE) timing on sleep quality, motor performance, and cognitive function in young athletes with intermediate chronotypes. Sixteen male adolescent athletes (age: 15.11 ± 0.92 years, body height: 168.25±7.09 cm, body-mass: 59.49±5.63 kg) participated in a randomized,crossoverstudy with fourconditions: BLE from (i) 7: 30–9: 00 PM, (ii) 9: 00–10: 30 PM, (iii) 10: 30 PM-12: 00 AM, and (iv) control (no BLE). Sleep quality and quantity were evaluated using the Spiegel and Vis-Morgen questionnaires. Selective attention was assessed using the Bells Test, while motor function was tested by dart-throwing accuracy and movement duration. ANOVA indicated substantial main effects of BLE timing on sleep metrics, motor performance, and cognitive function. Total sleep duration was markedly shorter in the 9: 00–10: 30 PM and 10: 30 PM-12: 00 AM conditions relative to the control (p < 0.001, d = 0.54 [medium] and d = 0.87 [large], respectively) and the 7: 30–9: 00 PM condition (p < 0.05, d = 0.28 [small] and p < 0.001, d = 0.56 [medium], respectively). Dartthrowing accuracy was significantly lower in the 9: 00–10: 30 PM and 10: 30 PM-12: 00 AM conditions versus the control (p < 0.002, d = 0.77 [medium]) and p < 0.001, d = 1.41 [large], respectively). Movement duration was significantly longer in these conditions compared to the control (p < 0.001, d = 1.75 [large] and d = 1.51 [large], respectively) and 7: 30–9: 00 PM condition (p < 0.01, d = 1.38 [large] and p = 0.002, d = 1.17 [large], respectively). Selective attention was significantly lower in the 9: 00–10: 30 PM and 10: 30 PM12: 00 AM conditions compared to the control (p = 0.003, d = 0.66 [medium] and p < 0.001, d = 0.91 [large], respectively). Evening BLE, especially after 9: 00 PM, adversely affects sleep quality, motor performance, and cognitive function in young athletes. These findings underscore the necessity of reducing BLE in the evening to enhance sports performance, optimize training and recovery, and facilitate motor learning for skill development.

keywords:

Circadian rhythm, Digital screen exposure, Melatonin inhibition, Neurobehavioral efficacy, Psychomotor vigilance, Sleep hygiene, Sport-specific competencies, Adolescents

Impact of evening blue light exposure timing on sleep, motor, and cognitive performance in young athletes with intermediate chronotype

Mohamed Abdelkader Souissi 1, 2 , Chadha Gouasmia 1, 2 , Ismail Dergaa 1, 3 , Jihed Faleh 1 , Omar Trabelsi 1, 4 , Katja Weiss 5 , Thomas Rosemann 5 , Wissem Dhahbi 4, 6 , Nizar Souissi 1, 7 , Beat Knechtle 5, 8

Circadian rhythm, Digital screen exposure, Melatonin inhibition, Neurobehavioral efficacy, Psychomotor vigilance, Sleep hygiene, Sport-specific competencies, Adolescents

Mohamed Abdelkader Souissi

^{1, 2}

,

Chadha Gouasmia

^{1, 2}

,

Ismail Dergaa

^{1, 3}

,

Jihed Faleh

¹

,

Omar Trabelsi

^{1, 4}

,

Katja Weiss

⁵

,

Thomas Rosemann

⁵

,

Wissem Dhahbi

^{4, 6}

,

Nizar Souissi

^{1, 7}

,

Beat Knechtle

^{5, 8}