Are Your Athletes Getting Enough Sleep?

Screen Time Addiction and Other Factors Interfering with Sleep

Sleep is part of the Prevention and Recovery triad (hydration – nutrition – sleep) for athletes. It is important for being physically active and training successfully, but it is also important to take care of the body to function effectively as we want to achieve active living and overall health for quality of life.

Researchers report that children and youth prior to the pandemic were engaging in too much screen time too frequently to the point of reaching a state of addiction. Lately, more and more researchers find that such a state has increased manifold not only affecting the brain cells but also interfering with sleep routine and patterns of sleep. Knowing the benefit of sleep is one thing but getting enough is another. Sleep experts point to the fact that children and teens need to establish a regular sleeping pattern to get adequate rest in order to function properly. They have concluded that most North American adolescents operate in a constant state of ‘jet lag’ as they need about 8.5-9.5 hours of sleep a night. Some experts recommend 9-10 hours of uninterrupted sleep. However, very few get that! Even if they go to bed on time, most find it difficult to fall asleep at a decent hour for various reasons (too hyped and going to bed attached to their phone!). Prior to adolescence, most children are asleep naturally around 8 or 9 pm, according to sleep specialists. However, puberty changes a teen’s internal clock, delaying the time of starting to feel sleepy, often until 11 pm or later.

Many children and teens also pursue individual activities such as private lessons and other structured activities outside school. Coupled with scholastic and social demands, which seem to increase every year, many feel tired, both physically and mentally. For a variety of reasons sleep often becomes neglected, and as a result, they tend to become ‘sleep-deprived.’ Lack of sleep has been identified as a negative factor, compromising the immune system, eventually causing the body to store extra fat, and increasing the risk of acute injuries. In addition, attitude, mood, academic performance in the classroom, and successful training in sports may be adversely affected by lost sleep.

Sleep is necessary to learn new skills. The phase of “deep sleep” is therefore critical. Researchers point out that as little as 20 hours of sleep deprivation can have negative effects on cognitive and fine motor skills as well as proprioception – for example, the sense of balance of sleep-deprived students and the ability to shift weight with eyes closed is more likely off or critically affected (Refer to Sleep Log). The tendency to catch up on lost sleep over the weekend does not work, according to sleep researchers.

Research Facts:

Learning and Memory: Sleep helps the brain commit new information to memory through a process called ‘memory consolidation.’ Studies in learning show: that people who slept after learning performed better in tests later on.

Metabolism and Weight: Chronic sleep deprivation may cause weight gain affecting the way the body processes and stores carbohydrates and alters hormone levels that affect our appetite.

Safety: Sleep debt contributes to a greater tendency to fall asleep during the daytime, causing accidents or injuries.

Mood: Loss of sleep may result in irritability, impatience, inability to focus and concentrate, and moodiness.

Fatigue: Too little sleep can also leave the athlete too tired to do the things he/she likes to do.

Cardiovascular Health: Serious sleep disorders have been linked to increased stress, hypertension, change in hormone levels, and irregular heartbeat.

Disease: Sleep deprivation alters immune function, including the activity of the body’s ‘killer’ cells.

Signs and Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation:

• Early fatigue during physical activity and training

• Unexpected emotional responses

• Negativism, pessimism, sadness, mood changes, stress, anxiety, anger, and frustration

• Inability to solve problems, lack of critical thinking or decision-making

• Decrease in alertness and focus

• Slower recovery from injury

Suggested Strategies to Improve Sleep Pattern:

How can children and teens get enough sleep given the fact that their internal clocks aren't cooperating? One of my concerns has always been the traditional AM morning training sessions in swimming, especially for teens. Given the fact that many practices begin at 5:30 or 6:00 AM makes the appropriate timing of nutrition prior to the session almost impossible. To get the benefit of energy provided by nutrition athletes would have to eat about 3:30-4:00 AM. Furthermore, if such athletes only fell asleep between 11:00 PM and 1:00 AM, we have a big problem!

In my coaching years, AM swim practices were a no go, especially given the finding that alertness and focus are commonly missing and swimmers going through the motion without real meaning is not the desired goal of a successful training episode. Research actually points out that natural biorhythms basically attribute the body’s highest performance rate to late afternoons.

Suggestions:

• Getting 8-10 hours of sleep per night is ideal, according to sleep experts

• Identify strategies to maximize the benefits of sleep

• If insomnia is severe or chronic and sleep disorders exist (sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome) a sleep specialist should be consulted

• Use a sleep log to monitor sleep patterns

• Making sleep a priority

Develop and maintain regular sleeping habits: Follow a regular, relaxing bedtime routine – make it consistent with regular and steady sleep and wake-up routines (at the same time)

Falling asleep: Within 20-minutes of going to bed and waking up without an alarm most likely indicates getting the ‘right amount’ of sleep

Establishing the sleeping habit: Based on research, 10 pm bedtime and 6 am wake up time seems to be an optimal schedule for both physical and psychological recovery as well as wakefulness during the day

Setting the sleeping pattern: Estimate personal sleep needs by experimenting over a few weeks

Sleep deprivation: Falling asleep immediately upon ‘hitting the pillow’ and always needing an alarm to wake up indicates sleep deprivation

Daily naps: Taking daily naps if not getting enough sleep each night – keep it short (less than 1-hour; some experts recommend only 20-minutes)

Missing sleep: ‘Catching up’ on missed sleep on weekends is not a healthy practice because it actually throws off the body clock even more

Late night socializing: Socializing was important before the pandemic and even more so during because access to school and friends was limited or non-existent. Habits may have developed to stay up late to socialize online. This most likely has become very habitual and may present big problems now as things have somewhat normalized. But bad habits are tough to break! Yet, good sleep has to become the priority again!

Unplug: Get rid of all stimulation – it is a good idea to turn off all electronic devices about 1-hour or more before bedtime – including television, computer, Smartphone, and iPod – the latter is left outside the bedroom not used as company at bedside

Keep it dark: Light-tight blinds or curtains, shades or window coverings help set the right environment for sleep

Get rid of ambient light as a distraction: A glowing or flashing clock or other light from electronics can also interfere with a solid night’s sleep

Use light as an advantage: Dim lights tell the brain that it is time for sleep while a bright light indicates it is time to wake up – keep lights dim for 30-60 minutes before bedtime, and use lots of bright light upon awakening

Keep it cool: Lowering the thermostat in the bedroom to 65-68 degrees (F) helps to fall asleep faster and sleeping more soundly

Experiment: Keeping it on the cool side is better for sleeping – experiment with the temperature and/or amount of bedcovers

Keep it quiet: Nothing can cause more sleep disturbance than noise. If living in a noisy location – near traffic, airports or noisy neighbours – use earplugs to create silence. A fan with constant humming may also be helpful

Pets: Pets do not belong in the bedroom as they may interfere with sound sleep

Eating habits: Healthy nutrition is important as is the knowledge about the type of food being consumed later in the evening and potentially effects on sleep

Bed Hygiene: Good bed hygiene is essential – dirty sheets or lack of regular laundry is essential for a sound sleep

Sleep Log - download and use!

References:

Mah, C., Mah, K.E., Kezirlan, E.J., & Dement, W.C. (2011). The effect of sleep extension on the athletic performance of collegiate basketball players. Sleep 34(7), 943-950. Jul1, 2011.

Mah, C. (2009). Study shows sleep extension improves athletic performance and mood. Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies. June 8, 2009.

Mah, C. (2008). Extended sleep and the effects on mood and athletic performance in collegiate swimmers. Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies. June 9, 2008.

Mah, C. (2007). Extra sleep improves athletes’ performance. Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies. June 14, 2007.

Schloder, M.E. (2022). Quality Pre- and Post-training for age group swimmers. The triad in prevention and recovery: Hydration, nutrition and sleep.

Schloder, M.E. (2022). Quality Pre- and Post-training for developmental athletes. The triad in prevention and recovery: Hydration, nutrition and sleep.