Promotion of Para Athlete Well-being (PROPEL II): A Cross-sectional Study of Sleep in Para Athletes Across Two...

Limited research exists on the sleep profiles of South African Para athletes. The aims of this study are to describe sleep quality, day-time sleepiness, and chronotype of South African Para athletes and to compare the relationship between sleep-related outcomes and demographic factors to athletes from a higher-resource country.

A descriptive, cross-sectional survey was conducted. Sleep-related characteristics were assessed with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale and Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire. Multiple regression models were run with and without country as independent variable.

One hundred twenty-four South African athletes and 52 Israeli athletes were included. Thirty percent of South African athletes presented with excessive daytime sleepiness, 35% slept 6 hrs or less per night, and 52% reported poor sleep quality. Thirty-three percent of Israeli athletes reported excessive daytime sleepiness, 29% slept 6 hrs or less, and 56% reported poor sleep quality. Chronotype was the only variable that differed significantly between countries (overrepresentation of morning types in South African athletes, and intermediate types in Israeli athletes). Intermediate chronotypes had significantly greater odds of excessive daytime sleepiness ( P = 0.007) and poor sleep quality ( P = 0.002) than morning types, irrespective of country.

The high prevalence of poor sleep among both South African and Israeli Para athletes warrants further investigation.