Sleep in elite athletes in the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate some questions about sleep, health and training of elite athletes from the State of Santa Catarina. A sample was constituted of 452 athletes of collective and individual sports who responded to a questionnaire with questions about sleep (duration and quality, nightmares and worsening of sleep before the competition) on their health perception. Furthermore, it was investigated if the athletes received, during their trainings, recommendations regarding their sleep. 48.5% of athletes presented low sleep duration (< 8h). Those who received instructions about the sleep in training presented higher sleep duration (p < 0.001) and higher sleep quality (p = 0.045). Athletes that didn't have instructions about sleep presented 1.35 times (CI95% 1.02-1.78) more prevalence of low sleep duration. Furthermore, most athletes reported that their sleep gets worse on the eve of competitions and important games. A good sleep quality was associated with positive health perception, and those athletes who received instructions about their sleep during their trainings presented higher duration and better sleep quality. It is recommended that instructions about sleep become part of training routines of Brazilian athletes, well as investigate which information and strategies are more effective to improve the sleep of athletes.