title: Prevalence of poor sleep quality, sleepiness and obstructive sleep apnoea risk factors in athletes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Despite the perceived importance of sleep for athletes, little is known regarding athlete sleep quality, their prevalence of daytime sleepiness or risk factors for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) such as snoring and witnessed apnoeic episodes. The purpose of the present study was to characterise normative sleep quality among highly trained team sport athletes.
  
  
  METHODS
  175 elite or highly trained rugby sevens, rugby union and cricket athletes completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Score (ESS) and Quality of Life questionnaires and an OSA risk factor screen.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On average, athletes reported 7.9 ± 1.3 h of sleep per night. The average PSQI score was 5.9 ± 2.6, and 50% of athletes were found to be poor sleepers (PSQI > 5). Daytime sleepiness was prevalent throughout the population (average global score of 8.5) and clinically significant (ESS score of ≥10) in 28% of athletes. OSA may be an important clinical consideration within athletic populations, as a considerable number of athletes (38%) defined themselves as snorers and 8% reported having a witnessed apnoeic episode. The relationship between self-rated sleep quality and actual PSQI score was strong (Pearson correlation of 0.4 ± 0.1, 90% confidence limits).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that this cohort of team sport athletes suffer a preponderance of poor sleep quality, with associated high levels of daytime sleepiness. Athletes should receive education about how to improve sleep wake schedules, extend total sleep time and improve sleep quality.
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Sport and Recreation , Auckland University of Technology , Auckland , New Zealand.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Swinbourne
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Sport and Recreation , Auckland University of Technology , Auckland , New Zealand.|b Sport Research Institute New Zealand , Auckland University of Technology , Auckland , New Zealand.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.affiliation: c Physiology , Australian Institute of Sport , Canberra , Australia.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vaile
authors.affiliation: b Sport Research Institute New Zealand , Auckland University of Technology , Auckland , New Zealand.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Smart
mesh_terms: D056352:Athletes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology*
keywords: Sleep quality; daytime sleepiness; obstructive sleep apnoea