Introduction: Sleep is considered to be one of the most important recovery techniques for elite athletes in both training and competition periods(1). Because little is known about the sleep pattern in athlete populations, the aim of this study was to identify sleep patterns in Belgian elite synchronized swimmers (SS). Methods: 15 Belgian elite SS (14.5±1.4 years old; 7.4±0.9h of training per week), wherefrom 10 entered a competition, were included in this study. Daily sleep registration was made using a sleep diary, during a 12 week specific training and competition period. Total sleep time (TST) and sleep efficiency (SE = TST/time in bed) were calculated. Week and weekend sleep parameters were compared for all subjects during the entire period using a Paired Samples T-Test. The same statistical analysis was used for comparison between a training and competition period in all competitive athletes. Repeated Measures ANOVA was used to detect both differences in sleep parameters between a training period and the night before a competition and to identify day-to-day variability. Level of significance was set at p<0.05. Results: SS went to sleep and got up earlier during week versus weekend nights (22:02±0:29 vs. 22:49±0:41, p<0.001; 7:25±0:14 vs. 8:50±0:26, p<0.001), which led to a shorter TST, but not SE (539±38min vs. 580±46min, p<0.001). In competition periods, SS went to sleep earlier than during training periods, both in week (21:45±0:33 vs. 22:00±0:25, p=0.024) and weekend nights (21:53± 0:38vs. 22:44±0:39, p=0.004). Furthermore, in competition weekends, SS got up earlier than during training weekends (7:35±0:51 vs. 8:51±0:28). No significant differences in TST and SE were observed. The night before the competition, SS went to bed and got up earlier than during a normal weekend night (21:41±0:41 vs. 22:44±0:39). TST was diminished the night before the competition compared to a normal weekend night (509±70min vs. 580±50 min), however, without differences in SE. After a late training session, TST, but not SE, was shorter than during normal week nights (527±39min vs. 543±39min, p=0.001). Discussion: SS tend to compensate sleep debts from the previous week during weekends which is not beneficial for recovery, due to a disruption of the sleep/wake cycle(2). Although SS adapt their sleep/wake rhythm before a competition, no equal TST is obtained compared to a normal night`s sleep. Also, an impaired TST was observed in SS the night after a late night training session due to the late bedtime hour. Coach`s awareness of the influence of training and competition scheduling on their athlete`s sleep seems very important.
© Copyright 2016 21st Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science (ECSS), Vienna, 6. -9. July 2016. Veröffentlicht von University of Vienna. Alle Rechte vorbehalten. / Übersetzt mit https://www.DeepL.com/Translator