SLEEP QUALITY AND INJURY RISK
THE LINK BETWEEN SLEEP QUALITY AND INJURY RISK
Poor sleep quality may be a hidden factor increasing the risk of injuries in footballers.
The Study:
A study by Silva et al. (2019) investigated the relationship between sleep and injury risk in 23 elite male footballers over a six-month period in the top Brazilian league.
Sleep behaviour was monitored using self-reported sleep diaries and wrist activity monitors during a 10-day preseason period, tracking sleep duration, efficiency, latency, and fragmentation.
Injury data, including severity, type, and absence time, were recorded by club medical teams.
The Results:
The results showed a moderate negative correlation between sleep efficiency and key injury characteristics
Players with lower sleep efficiency had:
1. Higher injury severity
2. Greater absence time
3. Greater number of injuries
Statistical analysis found that sleep efficiency alone accounted for 44% of the variance in injury frequency, 24% of the variance in absence time, and 47% of the variance in injury severity.
Additionally, poor sleep efficiency, high sleep latency, and increased sleep fragmentation were identified as potential risk factors for injury.
The Key Takeaway Messages:
Poor sleep quality may contribute to increased injury risk and time lost from play.
Footballers and practitioners should prioritize sleep hygiene, monitor sleep quality, and implement strategies to improve sleep efficiency to enhance recovery and reduce injury risk.
Optimizing sleep could be a simple yet powerful tool in maintaining performance and availability throughout a season.