A Subjective Assessment of the Prevalence and Factors Associated with Poor Sleep Quality Amongst Elite Japanese Athletes

Abstract

BackgroundThe amount, quality, and timing of sleep are considered important for athletes’ ability to train, maximize training responses, and recover. However, some research has shown that elite athletes do not obtain sufficient sleep. Based on this background, researchers recently started to assess and manage sleep in elite athletes.The purpose of this study was to clarify the prevalence of poor sleep quality and its associated factors amongst elite Japanese athletes.MethodsEight hundred and ninety-one candidates for the 17th Asian Games Incheon 2014, who were over 20 years old, participated in this study. They completed a questionnaire that included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale, two-question case-finding instruments, and a checklist for sleep hygiene. Data from 817 of the 891 athletes (91.7%) with no missing values were analyzed.ResultsThe mean time in bed was 7 h and 29 min. Two hundred and twenty-nine (28.0%) athletes showed a PSQI global score above the clinical criteria. A multiple logistic analysis revealed that sleep quality was significantly associated with five factors: “time in bed,” “eating breakfast every morning,” “avoiding the use of electronic devices (PC, smartphone, etc.) just before bedtime,” “depressive mood”, and “not thinking about troubles while in bed.” Forty percent of athletes reported they had been informed by someone about “snoring loudly” and/or “leg twitching or jerking during sleep.”ConclusionsThe results of this study demonstrate that 28% of the athletes showed the PSQI score above the cutoff for poor sleep quality (> 5.5), which suggests that there may be a high prevalence of poor sleep quality in this population of athletes. To improve athletes’ sleep, the five factors associated with sleep quality should be emphasized in athletes’ sleep education. Furthermore, in medical evaluations of athletes, it may be desirable to include screening for sleep disorders.

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

“…Moreover, it was reported that athletes from individual sports had a higher napping frequency than athletes from a team sport. A study by Hoshikawa et al 78 investigated the sleep of 817 Japanese athletes, with results showing a mean time in bed of 7:29 h:min, and 229 (28%) athletes showing a PSQI global score above the clinical criteria for poor sleep quality. Similarly, a study by Mah et al 79 examined the sleep of 628 collegiate student-athletes, with results showing 42.4% of athletes experiencing poor sleep quality, and 39.1% of athletes regularly obtaining <7 hours of sleep per night.…”

Association of Frequency of Milk or Dairy Product Consumption with Subjective Sleep Quality during Training Periods in Japanese Elite Athletes: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Previous studies have reported that exercise volume (3), intensity (4), and timing (5) affected sleep quality. However, a previ-ous study in Japanese elite athletes showed no significant association between self-reported sleep quality and hour of training-practice per week (6). Although these results are controversial, distributions of exercise volume and intensity in the elite athletes are assumed to be similar because elite athletes are practicing at a similar level and with very high intensity.…”

“…They may experience sleep problems because of anxiety, thoughts of upcoming competitions (1,2), or intense physical demands (i.e., exercise volume (3), intensity (4), and timing (5)). In fact, a previous cross-sectional study using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index has reported that 129 (28.0%) Japanese elite athletes, candidates for the 17th Asian Games Incheon 2014, were assessed as experiencing poor sleep quality (6). Although the management of sleep quality can be an important part of preparation and recovery for athletes, novel strategies for preventing poor sleep quality have not been fully examined.…”

Effects of Overnight Sleep Deprivation on Appetite and Physical Performance in Elite Female Soccer Players

“…Sleep is one of the biological needs (1). Need to sleep among young adults (25-18 yr) and adults (26-64 yr) is suggested 7-9 hours (2-4), this time for athletes is 9-10 hours (2) and more important than other people (5). Because the quality and quantity of sleep will be very effective on physical performance (6,7) and appetite (8,9).…”

“…Because the quality and quantity of sleep will be very effective on physical performance (6,7) and appetite (8,9). While many reports have reported poor sleep quality among athletes (3,5), this is a very worrying factor. The obvious reasons for sleep deprivation (SD) in athletes are jet lag, hotel beds, noise, stress, and anxiety before the competition and staying in the height, television interviews, doping tests, and unusual competition times (2,3,10,11).…”