Study the prevalence of sleep problems in young sportsperson and the roleof individualized sleep prescriptions in improving performance

Introduction: Good sleep quality and better performance go hand in hand. It was initially felt that recovery is affected by reduced sleep quantity. Recent studies show that improvement of sleep latency, sleep quality and quantity do play an important role in improving performance as such. Often in competitive sports the sportsperson has change in living conditions, change in training schedules, and changes in optimum time required for performance due to shift in time for his event causing anxiety or an increased arousal which affects sleep quality and quantity both. Deterioration of sleep quality due to extraneous or internal factors has an individual susceptibility and can worsen his performance despite the best of training and support mechanisms. For better performance individually susceptible individuals should be trained to be able to preserve sleep to ensure best performance. Individualised sleep prescriptions (strictly non- pharmacological) is the way forward to solve this situation. The study is proposed to study the prevalence of sleep problems in young sportsperson and the role of individualized sleep prescriptions in improving performance.

Objectives:

To study the prevalence of sleep problems in sportsperson

To study the role of individualized sleep prescriptions in improving performance

Methodology: 

1. Identify the young sportsperson with individual susceptibility to sleep problems (method/ instrument used – school sleep habit survey form and two weeks sleep diary). The forms would be given to 12 – 18 years age and the data would be collected on an anonymous basis. This makes the reporting of the sleep problem better. Sleep diary would be used for sportsperson > 18 years of age. The sleep diary will be filled for two weeks.
2. Conduct an awareness talk which would make the sportsperson not only become aware about the sleep problem but also will motivate him to report and improve it. This also helps in enrolling sportsperson who are having sleep problems.
3. Use non pharmacological approach to improve sleep of the individually susceptible sportsperson.

Cases with complaints of poor sleep quality, quantity or sleep latency after baseline assessment of sleep diary for two weeks would be randomised into two groups. All would be given basics of sleep awareness and education and told about sleep hygiene principles. Group I comparator group would be asked to write sleep diary and use it for self sleep monitoring understanding the various physiological factors which affect their sleep. Progressive muscular relaxation would be taught. Group II would be also give behavioural intervention, cognitive restructuring and other techniques like yoga nidra apart from progressive muscular relaxation.

Assessment would be done at four weeks of intervention and compared with baseline. Sleep diary parameters along with their performance at both time points would be recorded. Data thus obtained would be statistically analysed.

Further Reading:

1. Reilly T, Edwards B. Altered sleep–wake cycles and physical performance in athletes. Physiol Behav. 2007;90(2–3):274–284.

2.  Robson-Ansley PJ, Gleeson M, Ansley L. Fatigue management in the preparation of Olympic athletes. J Sports Sci. 2009;27(13):1409–1420.

3. Samuels C. Sleep, recovery, and performance: the new frontier in high-performance athletics. Neurol Clin. 2008;26(1):169–180.

4. Leeder J, Glaister M, Pizzoferro K, et al. Sleep duration and quality in elite athletes measured using wristwatch actigraphy. J Sports Sci. 2012;30(6):541–545.

5. Erlacher D, Ehrlenspiel F, Adegbesan OA, et al. Sleep habits in German athletes before important competitions or games. J Sports Sci. 2011;29(8):859–866.

6. Shapiro CM, Bortz R, Mitchell D, et al. Slow-wave sleep: a recovery period after exercise. Science. 1981;214(4526):1253–1254.

7. Dijk DJ. Slow-wave sleep deficiency and enhancement: implications for insomnia and its management. World J Biol Psychiatry. 2010

8. Mah CD, Mah KE, Kezirian EJ, et al. The effects of sleep extension on the athletic performance of collegiate basketball players. Sleep. 2011;34(7):943–950.

9. Mah C (eds) Extended sleep and the effects on mood and athletic performance in collegiate swimmers. Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies; 9 Jun 2008; Baltimore (MD).