Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2026
08:36
Collecting Sleep, Circadian, Fatigue, and Performance Data in Complex Operational Environments
Published on: August 8, 2019
Does Sleep Regularity Impact Other Sleep Variables, Performance and Wellbeing in Athletes? A Scoping Review and
Jordan L Fox1, Cody J Power2, Dean J Miller3
1School of Allied Health and Human Performance, Adelaide University, Level 2 South Australia Sports Institute, Mile End, SA, Australia.
Behavioral Sleep Medicine
|August 7, 2026
Summary
Research on sleep regularity in athletes shows scarce and inconsistent evidence regarding its impact on sleep, performance, and wellbeing. More studies are needed to establish normative values and understand sleep timing fluctuations.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Sleep Science
- Health Sciences
Background:
- Sleep regularity is crucial for athletes' overall health and performance.
- Current research on sleep regularity's impact is limited and lacks consistency.
- Understanding sleep regularity is vital for optimizing athletic outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a scoping review on the impact of sleep regularity on athletes.
- To determine the breadth of research and knowledge gaps concerning sleep regularity.
- To investigate the relationship between sleep regularity and other sleep variables, performance, and health in athletes.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was conducted across major databases (PubMed, Web of Science, SportDiscus, Scopus).
- Studies were included if they investigated sleep regularity's effects on sleep, performance, or health in athletes.
- The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines.
Main Results:
- Ten studies met the inclusion criteria.
- Research focused on other sleep variables (60%), performance (30%), and wellbeing (30%).
- The evidence base regarding sleep regularity's impact is scarce and inconsistent across all investigated variables.
Conclusions:
- Establishing normative values for sleep regularity is essential for identifying regular and irregular sleepers.
- Further research is needed to understand sleep timing fluctuations in relation to scheduling and travel.
- A stronger evidence base is required to fully elucidate the multifaceted impact of sleep regularity on athletes.
Related Concept Videos
01:13Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Deprivation
Insufficient sleep refers to not getting the recommended amount of sleep for optimal functioning, even if it's just slightly less than needed. Sleep insufficiency may occur due to lifestyle choices, such as staying up late for social events or work, resulting in routinely getting less sleep than required. For example, consistently sleeping 6 hours when the body needs 7-9 hours can lead to cumulative effects on health and well-being.
Sleep deprivation is a more severe form of sleep loss...
Sleep deprivation is a more severe form of sleep loss...
01:24Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep
Substance use disorders involve a pattern of using drugs more extensively than intended and continuing use despite harmful consequences. This includes legal substances like alcohol and nicotine, as well as illegal drugs. These disorders often involve both physical and psychological dependence, reflecting compulsive use of substances that significantly alter thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, contributing to a major public health issue.
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
01:19Management of Insomnia
The sleep cycle, an integral part of human health, consists of several stages with distinct characteristics and functions. It begins with a transition from wakefulness to sleep, known as the light sleep phase, followed by the restorative deep sleep phase, essential for physical recovery and growth. The cycle concludes with the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) phase, characterized by high brain activity and vivid dreaming. Insomnia, a prevalent sleep disorder, involves difficulty falling asleep, staying...
01:21Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a condition where breathing stops intermittently during sleep, often leading to significant health issues. Each episode can last from 10 to 20 seconds or more and is frequently accompanied by a brief arousal from sleep. This disturbance, largely unnoticed by the individual, can lead to severe daytime fatigue. Commonly, individuals seek help after being informed by their partners about loud snoring and noticeable breathing pauses during sleep.
The condition is more prevalent among...
The condition is more prevalent among...
01:24Sleep-Wake Cycles
Sleep is an essential physiological process vital to maintaining overall well-being. The reticular activating system (RAS), a network of neurons in the brainstem, regulates wakefulness and sleep. While it may seem passive, sleep consists of distinct cycles, each with its unique characteristics and functions. Two key sleep phases are non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM).
NREM Sleep
NREM sleep comprises four progressive stages that seamlessly merge:
NREM Sleep
NREM sleep comprises four progressive stages that seamlessly merge:
02:19Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation
The biological clock is involved in many aspects of regulating complex physiology in all animals. It was in 1935 when German zoologists, Hans Kalmus and Erwin Bünning, discovered the existence of circadian rhythm in Drosophila melanogaster. However, the internal molecular mechanisms behind the circadian clock remained a mystery until 1984, when Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael W. Young discovered the expression of the Per gene oscillating over a 24-hour cycle. In subsequent years,...