PMID 28769855

Research
All papers

Ratings of Perceived Exertion and Self-reported Mood State in Response to High Intensity Interval Training. A Crossover Study on the Effect of Chronotype

Vitale JA, La Torre A, Baldassarre R, Piacentini MF, Bonato M

Question

Does chronotype affect perceived exertion and mood responses to morning versus evening high-intensity interval exercise?

Summary

In active male students, an acute 4 x 4 min HIIT session felt harder and affected fatigue/vigor differently when performed at a time that did not match chronotype, especially for evening types training in the morning.

Methodology

  • Healthy physically active male sport-science college students with morning or evening chronotype
  • 23 participants.
  • Track running.
  • Work intervals: 4 min.
  • Recovery: 3 min active recovery.
  • Intensity: 90-95% HRpeak during work; 50-60% HRpeak during active recovery.
  • 10 min warm-up, 25 min interval set, 3 min cool-down.
  • Two acute sessions.
  • Crossover visits over 4 weeks.
  • Randomized crossover acute exercise study
  • Perceived exertion, Mood state, and Exercise tolerance were tracked.

Outcomes

Morning RPE

Evening types reported higher exertion before and after morning HIIT than morning types.

Before morning: E-types 2.4 +/- 0.9 vs M-types 0.3 +/- 0.3, p = 0.002; 30 min post morning: 6.0 +/- 1.1 vs 4.5 +/- 2.1, p = 0.042

Safety concern

Chronotype mismatch

Participants reported higher pre-session RPE when training away from their preferred time.

M-types evening vs morning pre-RPE p = 0.0107; E-types morning vs evening pre-RPE p = 0.008

Mixed

Mood

Fatigue, vigor, and energy index varied by chronotype and timing, while several mood subscales did not.

Morning HIIE showed chronotype effects for fatigue, vigor, and EI at PRE and POST24; evening HIIE interaction at POST12 for fatigue, vigor, and EI

Mixed

Tolerability

All participants completed both sessions without reported complications.

No dizziness, lightheadedness, or nausea reported

No clear change

Insights

  • Scheduling HIIT near a user's preferred time of day may reduce perceived burden.
  • Evening chronotypes may need extra ramp-up or lower initial demands for morning HIIT.
  • A 4 x 4 min session was tolerated by active young men in field conditions.

Limitations

  • Small sample
  • Men only
  • Physically active sport-science students
  • Acute crossover, not a training adaptation study
  • No power calculation

Safety

  • All participants completed sessions without dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, or other complications.