Sleeping Patterns in Athletes and non-Athletic Population
While some well known professional athletes have stated that they get between 8 and 12 hours of sleep on average per night, this is not at all typical of the athletic population. Further, there is no general consensus regarding the amount of sleep an elite athlete must obtain to maintain optimal performance.
However, studies on athletes report average sleep durations from just over 5 hours to just under 9 hours per night (Mah et al 2011, Sargent to al 2014, Leeder et al 2012, Robey et al 2014). This finding suggests that elite athletes are not unlike some members of the general population in terms of their average sleep duration. In addition, the relatively short sleep duration is most surprising, as longer periods of sleep would be expected in the athletic population.
Olympic Athletes and Poor Sleep
It may come as a surprise but top level athletes seem to have poorer sleep compared to non-sporting age matched controls. Leeder and co-workers (2012) compared the sleep patterns of a cohort of 47 elite Olympic level athletes from various sports with non-athletic subjects. They used wristwatch actigraphy to quantify sleep. Their results indicated that there were significant differences between athletes and controls in all measures apart from ‘time asleep’. Surprisingly, the athlete group had poorer sleep characteristics compared to the non-athletic group.
The data here in table 1 indicates that, while elite athletes had longer time in bed, their key sleep traits such as time asleep, sleep efficiency and moving time were all less satisfactory compared to their non-athletic controls.
In addition, Tuomilehto and co-workers (2016) completed a one year study on the sleeping patterns of professional athletes. They reported that one in every four athletes had a significant problem in sleeping. The authors concluded by stating that from their research it is evident that sleep problems are common in professional athletes.
Importance of Establishing Your Athlete’s Sleep Pattern
Clearly, there is now greater interest in establishing the sleeping patterns of athletes. The literature is also reflecting a growing body of evidence that shows poor sleep characteristics in the athletic population.
Further evidence comes from a recent study by Swinbourne and colleagues (2016). These researchers reported that in a cohort of 175 elite well-trained athletes, the average sleep duration was 7.9 hours. This was also associated with high levels of daytime sleepiness. Of significance however was the finding that 50% of the athletes were found to have poor sleep quality. The authors recommended that athletes should receive education about how to improve sleep wake schedules and how to extend sleep time and improve sleep quality.
In our next blog post in this series, we will see how even for professional athletes who complete a phase of intense training, sleep is not really adjusted to accommodate this training and we ask are there consequences? Also we consider the impact of extra carbohydrates on sleep and then we ask the question if one night of sleep deprivation impacts on performance the next day.
FAQs
Most people need about 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night. If you're an athlete in training, you may need more. "Just as athletes need more calories than most people when they're in training, they need more sleep, too," Geier says. You're pushing your body in practice, so you need more time to recover.
How many hours do college athletes sleep? ›
While seven hours is considered the minimum amount of sleep a typical adult should get, college students – especially highly active ones, like athletes – need at least eight to nine hours for optimal functioning, Grandner said in an interview.
How many hours do Olympians sleep? ›
The first thing we learned is that Olympic athletes need seven to nine hours of sleep per night. “Sleeping well for at least eight hours a night lets your body rejuvenate after a hard day's work — no matter if your work was training for the Olympics, cleaning house, taking care of family, or going to work.
Why do athletes nap so much? ›
Naps can be extremely beneficial to a tired athlete at the right time and place. "Sleep is the time when the body recovers from the stresses loaded upon it, and the repair of muscle and connective tissue begins. Naps are an excellent tool for athletes in training and on game day as well."
Do active people need less sleep? ›
Studies have shown that regular physical activity can improve sleep quality and duration [15-18]. Scientific literature shows that adults who exercised for at least 30 minutes a day slept an average of 15 minutes longer than those who did not exercise [19].
How much does Lebron James sleep? ›
James prioritizes sleep and gets between 8-9 hours a night, sometimes even 10, and has called it self-care. James uses sleep techniques such as keeping his room between 68-70 degrees, having a completely dark room and cutting out distractions, his trainer, Mike Mancias, told Ferriss in 2018.
Is 10 hours of sleep too much? ›
Sleep needs can vary from person to person, but in general, experts recommend that healthy adults get an average of 7 to 9 hours per night of shuteye. If you regularly need more than 8 or 9 hours of sleep per night to feel rested, it might be a sign of an sleep or medical problem, Gamaldo says.
How many hours a day did Michael Phelps sleep? ›
He was in the pool three to five hours a day seven days a week. To maintain that workout schedule, Phelps slept eight hours a night and took a 2-3 hour nap each afternoon, he says. Now, though he's retired from swimming, Phelps still tries to get at least eight hours of shut eye a night.
How many hours does Usain Bolt sleep? ›
He said, “Sleep is extremely important to me — I need to rest and recover in order for the training I do to be absorbed by my body.” Bolt sleeps for 8 to 10 hours per night and he is not alone. Roger Federer gets 11 to 12 hours sleep per night.
How many hours should elite athletes sleep? ›
How much sleep do athletes need? Pro athletes typically need more than most—it's recommended that they get 8-10 hours every night. But for the average adult, aim for seven to nine hours of sleep a night to avoid the effects of chronic sleep deprivation.
Both increased quantity and quality of sleep helps athletes improve performance in many areas related to the demands of the sport. A Stanford study of men's basketball players who extended their sleep to 10 hours a night found several positive outcomes. The players ran faster in both half-court and full-court sprints.
Do athletes sleep hotter? ›
Athletes who have recently increased their training volume or intensity may start to experience sweaty sleep, as your metabolism will be increased after these workouts which leads to a higher core body temperature.
Does muscle grow during naps? ›
But did you know that napping can also help you increase your muscle mass? First off, let's talk about sleep. Your body produces hormones crucial for muscle growth and repair when you're asleep.
What happens to your body when you lay in bed all day? ›
Moving every day is vital for many reasons, including circulation, digestion, appetite regulation, joint health, sleep cycles, and mood. “Prolonged lying in bed is not good for your muscles or joints; you start to lose muscle mass after a couple of days of laying in bed–this means that you become weaker,” says Marko.
Do people who sleep less live longer? ›
If you're like most people, you'd kill for a longer night's sleep. But in turn, longer sleep might just kill you. New research shows that adults who sleep more than eight hours a night are at a higher risk of early death.
What happens when you sleep high? ›
It is believed that the sleep-promoting effects of cannabinoids are due to their interactions with cannabinoid receptors in the brain. When cannabinoids bind to these receptors, they send messages to increase levels of sleep-promoting adenosine and suppress the brain's arousal system.
How many hours a day do athletes sleep? ›
Research shows that individual sport athletes sleep on average 6.5 hours a night while team sports come in at 7 hours. It was also reported that individual athletes are more prone to taking a nap.
How much sleep does a 19 year old athlete need? ›
Individualized support can help ensure teen athletes consistently get the required amount of sleep. In general, teen athletes should aim for 8 to 12 hours of sleep a day. Besides, they should work their way to improve sleep quality.
How many hours a day do pro athletes sleep? ›
How much sleep do athletes need? Pro athletes typically need more than most—it's recommended that they get 8-10 hours every night. But for the average adult, aim for seven to nine hours of sleep a night to avoid the effects of chronic sleep deprivation.
How many hours should a pro athlete sleep? ›
“For elite athletes, we recommend eight to 10 hours plus every night,” Mah said. “For the everyday person, you've got to hit at least seven hours of rest every night.
