Prevalence and Risk Factors of Poor Sleep Quality in Collegiate Athletes during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

Marie-Anne Melone, Claire Tourny, Brian K. Gehlbach, Eli L. Schmidt, Matthieu Lalevée and Maxime L’Hermette
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Marie-Anne Melone: Department of Pulmonary, Thoracic Oncology and Respiratory Intensive Care, Rouen University Hospital, Univ Rouen, F-76000 Rouen, France
Claire Tourny: CETAPS EA3832, Research Center for Sports and Athletic Activities Transformations, University of Rouen Normandy, F-76821 Mont-Saint-Aignan, France
Brian K. Gehlbach: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52240, USA
Eli L. Schmidt: Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52240, USA
Matthieu Lalevée: CETAPS EA3832, Research Center for Sports and Athletic Activities Transformations, University of Rouen Normandy, F-76821 Mont-Saint-Aignan, France
Maxime L’Hermette: CETAPS EA3832, Research Center for Sports and Athletic Activities Transformations, University of Rouen Normandy, F-76821 Mont-Saint-Aignan, France

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 5, 1-16

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lifestyle, sleep and physical activity habits. This study evaluated the prevalence of poor sleep quality, its disrupters, and the impact of the pandemic in collegiate athletes. We performed a cross-sectional study of collegiate athletes (N = 339, median age: 20 (IQR,19–21) years old, 48.5% female, 47% individual sports) who received a web-based questionnaire in April 2021. This survey included subject characteristics, chronotype, sleep disrupters, the changes due to the pandemic and sleep quality (Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]). A multivariate linear regression was performed to assess the relationship between sleep quality, gender, chronotype, sleep disrupters and the changes to training volume or sleep. Results showed a disrupted sleep quality in 63.7%. One in five students had a total sleep time under 6.5 h per night. Poor sleep quality was significantly correlated with nocturnal concerns related to the pandemic, evening chronotype, female gender, third year of study, caffeine consumption and lack of sleep routine (all p < 0.05). To conclude, poor sleep quality is common in collegiate athletes. Sleep disrupters remain prevalent in the lifestyle habits of this population and may have been exacerbated by changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sleep hygiene should become a major aspect of sports education during the return to post-covid normality.

Keywords: student athletes; exercise; training; sleep disrupters; sleep deprivation; lifestyle habits; anxiety; mental health; circadian rhythms (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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