Sleep Duration, Sleep Timing, and Self-Reported Wellbeing in Collegiate Women Volleyball Athletes: A Prospective...

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Sleep Science
• Wearable Technology

Background:

• Previous sleep health research in collegiate athletes relied on self-reports.
• This study utilized consumer-grade wearable devices to objectively measure sleep duration and timing.
• Investigated sleep patterns in female NCAA Division I volleyball players over a 5-month period, encompassing preseason and in-season phases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between sleep duration/timing and athlete wellbeing.
• To compare sleep duration and timing between preseason and in-season periods.
• To compare sleep duration and timing between weekdays and weekends.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study involving 13 female NCAA Division I volleyball athletes.
• Oura ring wearable device collected objective sleep data (duration, bedtimes, waketimes).
• Athletes self-reported daily wellbeing (mood, muscle recovery, energy).
• Mixed-effects models analyzed sleep-wellbeing relationships and temporal differences.

Main Results:

• Shorter sleep duration and earlier waketimes correlated with lower self-reported mood and energy.
• Sleep duration was significantly longer during the in-season (7.42 hours) compared to preseason (6.98 hours).
• Waketimes were significantly later in-season and on weekends compared to weekdays.
• The shortest sleep duration and earliest waketimes occurred on weekdays during the preseason.

Conclusions:

• Short sleep duration and early waketimes negatively impact mood and energy in collegiate volleyball athletes.
• Athletes are most susceptible to insufficient sleep on preseason weekdays, linked to early waketimes.
• Strategies to promote later waketimes, like adjusting training schedules, could enhance athlete sleep health and wellbeing.