Sleep and growth hormone secretion in women athletes

Six women athletes underwent 24 h multiple sampling studies with electroencephalographic monitoring of sleep for the assessment of growth hormone secretion and sleep pattern. The athletes tended to have more stage 4 sleep, less REM activity and a similar REM density compared to 5 normal women. The nocturnal secretion of growth hormone was elevated in the first hour following sleep onset in the athletes but was otherwise not statistically different from that of the controls. As all but one of the women athletes had exercise-related menstrual irregularities, the findings reported may be associated with exercise amenorrhea.