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Sports Medicine
Published in: Sports Medicine 7/2017

Open Access 01-07-2017 | Systematic Review

Does Elite Sport Degrade Sleep Quality? A Systematic Review

Authors: Luke Gupta, Kevin Morgan, Sarah Gilchrist

Published in: Sports Medicine | Issue 7/2017

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Abstract

Background

Information on sleep quality and insomnia symptomatology among elite athletes remains poorly systematised in the sports science and medicine literature. The extent to which performance in elite sport represents a risk for chronic insomnia is unknown.

Objectives

The purpose of this systematic review was to profile the objective and experienced characteristics of sleep among elite athletes, and to consider relationships between elite sport and insomnia symptomatology.

Methods

Studies relating to sleep involving participants described on a pre-defined continuum of ‘eliteness’ were located through a systematic search of four research databases: SPORTDiscus, PubMed, Science Direct and Google Scholar, up to April 2016. Once extracted, studies were categorised as (1) those mainly describing sleep structure/patterns, (2) those mainly describing sleep quality and insomnia symptomatology and (3) those exploring associations between aspects of elite sport and sleep outcomes.

Results

The search returned 1676 records. Following screening against set criteria, a total of 37 studies were identified. The quality of evidence reviewed was generally low. Pooled sleep quality data revealed high levels of sleep complaints in elite athletes. Three risk factors for sleep disturbance were broadly identified: (1) training, (2) travel and (3) competition.

Conclusion

While acknowledging the limited number of high-quality evidence reviewed, athletes show a high overall prevalence of insomnia symptoms characterised by longer sleep latencies, greater sleep fragmentation, non-restorative sleep, and excessive daytime fatigue. These symptoms show marked inter-sport differences. Two underlying mechanisms are implicated in the mediation of sport-related insomnia symptoms: pre-sleep cognitive arousal and sleep restriction.
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Metadata
Title
Does Elite Sport Degrade Sleep Quality? A Systematic Review
Authors
Luke Gupta
Kevin Morgan
Sarah Gilchrist
Publication date
01-07-2017
Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Published in
Sports Medicine / Issue 7/2017
Print ISSN: 0112-1642
Electronic ISSN: 1179-2035
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0650-6

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