From pillow to podium: a review on understanding sleep for elite athletes

Figures & data

Table 1 Studies examining modes of sleep monitoring in athletes

Study	Subjects (n)	Fitness status	Sleep monitoring modes	Results#
Caia et al^Citation20	63	Professional rugby league athletes	Perceived sleep duration vs actigraphy device	Very large, positive correlation (r=0.85)
Driller et al^Citation15	11	Recreational athletes	Inter-device reliability of an actigraph	NS High to very high ICC (0.80 to >0.90)
Driller et al^Citation16	13	Recreational athletes	Actigraphy device between dominant vs non-dominant wrist	NS High to very high correlations (r=0.76 to >0.90)
Driller et al^Citation23	564	Athletes (242) Non-athletes (322)	Athlete Sleep Behavior Questionnaire vs Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index, Sleep Hygiene Index, and Epworth Sleepiness Scale	Moderate to large correlations (r=0.38–0.69) between Athlete Sleep Behavior Questionnaire and the three other questionnaires ICC retest 7 days (0.87) for the Athlete Sleep Behavior Questionnaire
Samuels et al^Citation24	58	Highly trained	Athlete Sleep Screening Questionnaire vs Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index	High test–retest correlations (r=0.90) for Athlete Sleep Screening Questionnaire
Sargent et al^Citation91	16	Highly trained endurance cyclists	Polysomnography vs activity monitors	Good agreement (81%–90%)

Notes:

# Statistically significant (p<0.05).

Abbreviations: ICC, intraclass coefficient correlation; NS, non-significant.

Table 2 Studies examining sleep interventions on cognitive performance in athletes

Study	Subjects (n)	Fitness status	Sleep intervention	Performance outcome	Results#
Edwards and Waterhouse^Citation64	60a	Dart players	4-hour delayed bed time	Dart throwing accuracy Alertness	↓# ↓#
Jarraya et al^Citation102	12a	Handball goalkeepers	Partial SD, 4–5 hours sleep obtained	Reaction time Stroop test	↓# ↓#
Mah et al^Citation83	11a	College basketball athletes	Sleep extension by 2 hours	Reaction time	↑#
Reyner and Horne^Citation65	16a	Trained tennis players	2–2.5 hours delayed bed time	Tennis serving accuracy	↓#
Scott et al^Citation103	6a	Recreational athletes	Total SD 30 hours	Reaction time	↓#
Taheri and Arabameri^Citation63	18a	Trained college students	Total SD 24 hours	Choice reaction time	↓#

Notes: ↑ = improvement and ↓ = decline.

# Statistically significant (p<0.05);

a single-group design.

Abbreviation: SD, sleep deprivation.

Table 3 Studies examining sleep and exercise in athletes

Study	Subjects (n)	Sport and fitness status	Protocol	Results#
				TST	SE%	SL
Juliff et al^Citation46	42a	Netball National	Evening competition vs afternoon competition	↓#	NR	NR
Fullagar et al ^Citation41	16a	Football Elite	Evening competition vs day training	↓#	NR	↓#
Lastella et al^Citation67	21a	Endurance cyclists Elite	Competition vs baseline	↓#	NS	NS
Oda and Shirakawa^Citation74	12a	Healthy adults	High-intensity evening exercise vs non-exercise	↓#	↓#	↓#
O’Donnell et al^Citation45	11a	Netball Elite	Evening competition vs night prior vs night following	↓# ↓#	NS NS	NS NS
O’Donnell et al^Citation80	10a	Netball Elite	Evening game vs evening training vs control	↓# ↓#	↓# ↓#	NS ↓#
Richmond et al^Citation104	10a	Australian Football League Elite	Evening games vs baseline Home Away	↓# ↓#	NS NS	NS NS
Sargent and Roach^Citation42	22a	Australian Football League Elite	Evening game vs day game	↓#	NS	NS
Shearer et al^Citation43	28a	Rugby Union National	Evening home game vs reference night	↓#	NS	NS

Notes: ↑ = improvement and ↓ = decline.

# Statistically significant (p<0.05);

a single-group design.

Abbreviations: NR, not reported; NS, non-significant; SE%, sleep efficiency; SL sleep latency; TST, total sleep time.

Table 4 Studies examining strategies to improve sleep indices in athletes

Study	Subjects (n)	Sport and fitness status	Sleep intervention	Measures	Results#
Duffield et al^Citation100	8a	Tennis Professional	Sleep hygiene recommendations	TST SE (%) SL	Large effect (d=2.60) ↑ NS Moderate effect (d=0.90) ↑ NS Small effect (d=0.23) ↑ NS
Fullagar et al^Citation41	20a	Football Highly trained	Sleep hygiene strategy	TST SE (%) SL	↑# NS NS
Mah et al^Citation79	11a	Basketball Trained	Sleep extension (2 hours)	Sprint Free throws Three-point goals	↑# ↑# ↑#
O’Donnell and Driller^Citation99	26a	Netball Elite	Sleep hygiene education session	TST SE (%) SL	Small effect (d=0.39) ↑# Small effect (d=0.26) ↑ NS Small effect (d=−0.27) ↑ NS
Tuomilehto et al^Citation69	40a	Ice hockey professional	Sleep counseling	Perceived sleep quality	83% reported benefit ↑#
Van Ryswsk et al^Citation101	25a	Football Trained	Education session	Perceived TST SE (%)	↑# ↑#

Notes: ↑ = improvement and ↓ = decline.

# Statistically significant (p<0.05);

a single-group design.

Abbreviations: NS, non-significant; SE, sleep efficiency; SL, sleep latency; TST, total sleep time.

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