The relationship between multiple concussions and multidimensional sleep quality in collegiate-aged, active athletes

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Neurology
• Sleep Science

Background:

• Concussions and repetitive head impacts are common in collegiate athletes.
• Long-term health consequences of head trauma are a growing concern.
• Sleep quality is crucial for overall health and athletic performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between cumulative concussion history and repetitive head impacts with self-reported sleep quality in collegiate athletes.
• To determine if the number of concussions or years of contact sport exposure predict poor sleep outcomes.
• To identify specific aspects of sleep quality affected by concussion history.

Main Methods:

• 212 collegiate athletes underwent semistructured interviews for concussion and sport history.
• The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to assess self-reported sleep quality.
• Concussion history was determined using 1993 ACRM criteria; repetitive head impacts were measured by years of contact sport exposure.

Main Results:

• A higher number of prior concussions was significantly associated with worse global sleep quality (higher PSQI scores).
• Athletes with more concussions were more likely to experience poor sleep, longer sleep latency, and increased sleep disturbances.
• No association was found between repetitive head impact exposure and any measured sleep quality metric.

Conclusions:

• Concussion history, not repetitive head impacts, is linked to diminished self-reported sleep quality in collegiate athletes.
• Concussions affect multiple subjective sleep aspects, emphasizing sleep's role in concussion recovery and long-term outcomes.
• Future research should consider sleep as a key factor in managing and preventing adverse health effects related to concussion history.