Elite athletes are particularly susceptible to sleep
inadequacies, characterised by habitual short sleep
(<7 hours/night) and poor sleep quality (eg, sleep
fragmentation). Athletic performance is reduced by
a night or more without sleep, but the influence on
performance of partial sleep restriction over 1–3
nights, a more real-world scenario, remains unclear.
Studies investigating sleep in athletes often suffer from
inadequate experimental control, a lack of females and
questions concerning the validity of the chosen sleep
assessment tools. Research only scratches the surface
on how sleep influences athlete health. Studies in the
wider population show that habitually sleeping <7 hours/
night increases susceptibility to respiratory infection.
Fortunately, much is known about the salient risk factors
for sleep inadequacy in athletes, enabling targeted
interventions. For example, athlete sleep is influenced
by sport-specific factors (relating to training, travel and
competition) and non-sport factors (eg, female gender,
stress and anxiety). This expert consensus culminates
with a sleep toolbox for practitioners (eg, covering sleep
education and screening) to mitigate these risk factors
and optimise athlete sleep. A one-size-fits-all approach
to athlete sleep recommendations (eg, 7–9 hours/
night) is unlikely ideal for health and performance. We
recommend an individualised approach that should
consider the athlete’s perceived sleep needs. Research is
needed into the benefits of napping and sleep extension
(eg, banking sleep).