A practical guide to improve sleep and performance in athletes

Abstract

Sleep is vital for optimal mental and physical health. For athletes, optimizing sleep is becoming a popular strategy to enhance athletic performance. Athletes often complain of sleep problems including insufficient sleep and insomnia symptoms and are also at a higher risk for sleep disordered breathing. Sleep disorders and insufficient sleep can contribute to excessive sleepiness, daytime dysfunction, and performance problems. In contrast, better sleep provides benefits for physical health and athletic performance. For athletes, multiple factors can contribute to insufficient sleep. Sport-specific factors include frequent travel across time zones, competition and training schedules, high training loads, and sleeping in an unfamiliar environment. Non-sport-related factors include work, social, and family commitments; attitudes and sleeping beliefs; individual characteristics, such as chronotype or preference for morning or evening; and lifestyle choices. Fortunately, there are strategies that can be implemented to improve sleep in athletes including (a) education and emphasis on the importance of sleep; (b) sleep screening; providing extra sleep opportunities like (c) banking sleep and (d) napping; improving sleep hygiene like (e) proper light exposure; (f) a good pre-sleep routine; (g) a conducive sleep environment; (h) a strategy for supplementation; (i) utilizing circadian timing adjustments; and (j) jet lag management. Increased recognition of the importance of sleep from sport professionals and screening for sleep disorders and disturbances will be key for future athlete health, well-being, and performance.