Sleep Quality in Collegiate Athletes: A Critical Review of the Literature.
College
College of Education
Department
Physical Education, Sport & Human Performance
Abstract
Sleep is a critical component of the body’s diurnal rhythm and for preparation and recovery from athletic competition. Therefore, it is a necessity for athletes to sleep for the minimum recommended amount (7-9 hours) each night. If there are disturbances with the timing, and/or quality of sleep, the psychological and physiological recovery processes are inevitably compromised. Poor sleep can cause diminished athletic performance, increased fatigue, and impaired cognition. In addition to exceptional physiological demands, collegiate athletes face many extra-athletic demands that can lead to insufficient sleep (e.g., studying, emergencies, etc.). Long-distance travel is common among most collegiate athletic competitions. Thus, travel fatigue can cause sleep disturbances, which can lead to a worsened mood, a reduced quality of sleep on the road, and decreased overall motivation levels. Travel between time zones can also cause jet lag and inadequate sleep quality and quantity. Sports teams will often schedule multiple matches per week, which does not allow the athletes adequate time for metabolic recovery. This can lead to overtraining and musculoskeletal injuries. Previous research indicates athletes benefit from prescriptions for additional sleep beyond their normal intake. Athletes who get adequate sleep demonstrate increased accuracy, enhanced mood, and, for example, faster sprint times in their sports. Taken together, there are many factors that can potentially impair sleep quality in collegiate athletes. Thus, the purpose of this literature review is to outline the importance of sleep in athletes, factors that can cause sleep loss, and the effects of reduced sleep on athletic performance.
Honors Thesis Committee
Tyrone Ceaser, Ph.D.; David Schary, Ph.D.; and Janet Wojcik, Ph.D.
Start Date
20-4-2018 3:15 PM
Sleep Quality in Collegiate Athletes: A Critical Review of the Literature.
Sleep is a critical component of the body’s diurnal rhythm and for preparation and recovery from athletic competition. Therefore, it is a necessity for athletes to sleep for the minimum recommended amount (7-9 hours) each night. If there are disturbances with the timing, and/or quality of sleep, the psychological and physiological recovery processes are inevitably compromised. Poor sleep can cause diminished athletic performance, increased fatigue, and impaired cognition. In addition to exceptional physiological demands, collegiate athletes face many extra-athletic demands that can lead to insufficient sleep (e.g., studying, emergencies, etc.). Long-distance travel is common among most collegiate athletic competitions. Thus, travel fatigue can cause sleep disturbances, which can lead to a worsened mood, a reduced quality of sleep on the road, and decreased overall motivation levels. Travel between time zones can also cause jet lag and inadequate sleep quality and quantity. Sports teams will often schedule multiple matches per week, which does not allow the athletes adequate time for metabolic recovery. This can lead to overtraining and musculoskeletal injuries. Previous research indicates athletes benefit from prescriptions for additional sleep beyond their normal intake. Athletes who get adequate sleep demonstrate increased accuracy, enhanced mood, and, for example, faster sprint times in their sports. Taken together, there are many factors that can potentially impair sleep quality in collegiate athletes. Thus, the purpose of this literature review is to outline the importance of sleep in athletes, factors that can cause sleep loss, and the effects of reduced sleep on athletic performance.
