title: Sleep patterns and injury occurrence in elite Australian footballers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the potential relationship between sleep duration and efficiency and injury incidence in elite Australian footballers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Australian footballers (n=22) from one AFL club were studied across the 2013 competitive season. In each week sleep duration and efficiency were recorded via actigraphy for 5 nights (the 3 nights preceding a game, the night of the game and the night after the game). Injury incidence was monitored and matched with sleep data: n=9 players suffered an injury that caused them to miss a game. Sleep in the week of the injury (T2) was compared to the average of the previous 2 weeks (T1). A two-way repeated measures ANOVA was used to determine any effect of sleep duration and efficiency on injury. Significance was accepted at p<0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Injury incidence was not significantly affected by sleep duration, sleep efficiency or a combination of these factors. Analysis of individual nights for T2 versus T1 also showed no differences in sleep quality or efficiency. However, a main effect for time was found for sleep duration and efficiency, with these being slightly, but significantly greater (p<0.05) at T2 (437±61min and 82±7%) than T1 (414±64min and 79±7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No significant effect of sleep duration and efficiency on injury occurrence was found in elite Australian footballers.
authors.affiliation: School of Sport Science, Exercise and Health, The University of Western Australia, Australia; West Coast Eagles Football Club, Australia. Electronic address: jackson.dennis@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jackson
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dennis
authors.affiliation: School of Sport Science, Exercise and Health, The University of Western Australia, Australia; West Coast Eagles Football Club, Australia.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dawson
authors.affiliation: West Coast Eagles Football Club, Australia.
authors.forename: Jarryd
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heasman
authors.affiliation: West Coast Eagles Football Club, Australia.
authors.forename: Brent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rogalski
authors.affiliation: School of Sport Science, Exercise and Health, The University of Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Robey
mesh_terms: D056044:Actigraphy; D000328:Adult; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005538:Football / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012890:Sleep; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Actigraphy; Sleep duration and efficiency; Team sports