The Sleep and Recovery Practices of Athletes

• Main Authors: Rónán Doherty, Sharon M. Madigan, Alan Nevill, Giles Warrington, Jason G. Ellis
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-04-01
• Series: Nutrients
• Subjects: sleep; recovery; nutrition; alcohol; athletes
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/4/1330

Background: Athletes maintain a balance between stress and recovery and adopt recovery modalities that manage fatigue and enhance recovery and performance. Optimal TST is subject to individual variance. However, 7–9 h sleep is recommended for adults, while elite athletes may require more quality sleep than non-athletes. Methods: A total of 338 (elite <i>n</i> = 115, 74 males and 41 females, aged 23.44 ± 4.91 years; and sub-elite <i>n</i> = 223, 129 males and 94 females aged 25.71 ± 6.27) athletes were recruited from a variety of team and individual sports to complete a battery of previously validated and reliable widely used questionnaires assessing sleep, recovery and nutritional practices. Results: Poor sleep was reported by both the elite and sub-elite athlete groups (i.e., global PSQI score ≥5—elite 64% [<i>n</i> = 74]; sub-elite 65% [<i>n</i> = 146]) and there was a significant difference in sport-specific recovery practices (3.22 ± 0.90 vs. 2.91 ± 0.90; <i>p</i> < 0.001). Relatively high levels of fatigue (2.52 ± 1.32), stress (1.7 ± 1.31) and pain (50%, <i>n</i> = 169) were reported in both groups. A range of supplements were used regularly by athletes in both groups; indeed, whey (elite <i>n</i> = 22 and sub-elite <i>n</i> = 48) was the most commonly used recovery supplement in both groups. Higher alcohol consumption was observed in the sub-elite athletes (12%, <i>n</i> = 26) and they tended to consume more units of alcohol per drinking bout. Conclusion: There is a need for athletes to receive individualised support and education regarding their sleep and recovery practices.