The Variability of Sleep Among Elite Athletes

Abstract

Practicing sport at the highest level is typically accompanied by several stressors and restrictions on personal life. Elite athletes’ lifestyle delivers a significant challenge to sleep, due to both the physiological and psychological demands, and the training and competition schedules. Inter-individual variability of sleep patterns (e.g., sleep requirements, chronotype) may have important implications not only for recovery and training schedules but also for the choice of measures to possibly improve sleep. This article provides a review of the current available literature regarding the variability of sleep among elite athletes and factors possibly responsible for this phenomenon. We also provide methodological approaches to better address the inter-individual variability of sleep in future studies with elite athletes. There is currently little scientific evidence supporting a specific influence of one particular type of sport on sleep; sleep disorders may be, however, more common in strength/power and contact sports. Sleep behavior may notably vary depending on the athlete’s typical daily schedule. The specificity of training and competition schedules possibly accounts for the single most influential factor leading to inconsistency in sleep among elite athletes (e.g., “social jet lag”). Additionally, athletes are affected by extensive exposure to electric light and evening use of electronic media devices. Therefore, the influence of ordinary sleep, poor sleep, and extended sleep as important additional contributors to training load should be studied. Future experimental studies on sleep and elite sport performance should systematically report the seasonal phase. Boarding conditions may provide a good option to standardize as many variables as possible without the inconvenience of laboratory. The use of interdisciplinary mixed-method approaches should be encouraged in future studies on sleep and elite sport. Finally, high inter- and intra-individual variability in the athletes’ sleep characteristics suggests a need for providing individual responses in addition to group means.

Mental health in elite athletes: International Olympic Committee consensus statement (2019)

“…The timing of sport training, especially in the early morning, can impair sleep72 and lead to suboptimal performance outcomes. Because of an athlete’s chronotype (degree to which an individual is naturally a 'morning' or 'evening' person), timing of training or competition may not align with their personal time of peak performance 130–132. Persistent circadian dysregulation may contribute to neurodegeneration and mental health disorders 133–135…”

Sleep and the athlete: narrative review and 2021 expert consensus recommendations

“…Given both the specificity of athlete selection processes for different sports, and the different environmental and cultural constraints within different sports (eg, early morning training is engrained in swimming culture), it is reasonable to expect that athlete risk profiles and the challenges to athlete sleep vary between different sports. 61 Although the available evidence is limited, one study reported that long-term sleep problems were particularly prominent in contact and combat sport athletes and in those participating in aesthetic sports. 53 The underlying cause(s) of sleep problems in these athletes remains speculative but may include a history of concussion in contact and combat athletes 71 72 and an influence of generalised anxiety disorder, negative perfectionism and low energy availability in aesthetic sport competitors.…”

Mental health symptoms and disorders in elite athletes: a systematic review on cultural influencers and barriers to athletes seeking treatment

“…Many factors place the athlete at increased risk for mental health symptoms and disorders. The demands of a heavy training schedule, both physically and mentally, and a constant push to improve performance can be stressful 11 12. Many elite athletes live near or at training sites with other athletes, and are often separated from their families and friends.…”

“…Many elite athletes live near or at training sites with other athletes, and are often separated from their families and friends. They often follow strict regimens with diet, schedules and habits, while striving to improve performance 12 13. Coaches and others push athletes to improve skills and abilities while closely monitoring their activities 14.…”