What is the psychological impact of sleep restriction on elite athletes who play team sports?
Searched over 200M research papers
Summary
9 papers analyzed
These studies suggest that sleep restriction in elite athletes who play team sports negatively impacts their mood, performance, cognitive function, and increases injury risk.
Not a yes or no question
To use the Consensus Meter, try asking a simple yes or no question
Research summarized with Copilot
Beta20 papers analyzed
Introduction
The psychological impact of sleep restriction on elite athletes, particularly those who play team sports, is a critical area of research. Sleep is essential for optimal performance, recovery, and mental well-being. This synthesis aims to consolidate findings from multiple studies to understand how sleep restriction affects the psychological state of elite team-sport athletes.
Key Insights
-
Prevalence of Sleep Problems and Psychological Effects:
- A significant number of athletes experience poor sleep before important competitions, leading to bad moods, increased daytime sleepiness, and worse performance .
- Team-sport athletes are at high risk of poor sleep during and after competition, which can affect their psychological recovery .
-
Impact on Mental Health:
- Athletes not meeting sleep recommendations have a higher prevalence of anxiety and depression, with increased daytime sleepiness.
- Sleep restriction is associated with greater impairment in response time and deviations from preferred movement patterns, which may increase injury risk and affect mental performance.
-
Sleep Duration and Quality:
- Team-based athletes report less sleep compared to individual athletes but do not necessarily report more insomnia or fatigue.
- Early-morning training sessions significantly reduce the amount of sleep obtained, potentially impairing psychological and physiological functioning.
-
Sleep and Recovery:
- Poor sleep quality and duration after night competitions and heavy training periods are common among team-sport athletes, affecting their recovery and mental state .
- Sleep extension and naps are suggested to improve performance and recovery, but more research is needed to confirm their efficacy .
Conclusion
Elite team-sport athletes frequently experience sleep problems, particularly before competitions and during heavy training periods. These sleep issues are linked to negative psychological outcomes, including increased anxiety, depression, and daytime sleepiness. While team-based athletes may sleep less than their individual counterparts, they do not necessarily report more sleep-related complaints. Effective management of sleep through strategies like sleep extension and naps could potentially mitigate these psychological impacts, although further research is required to validate these interventions.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic
