Supervisors info:
Μπογδάνης Γ., Καθηγητής, ΣΕΦΑΑ, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
The purpose of the current review is to collect and record through the international literature data and evidence related to sleep and athletes. Initially, a review of studies on people and general characteristics of sleep was performed and we tried also to collect data on the basic characteristics of sleep in all athletes, while then specific studies were investigated that correlate sleep with other factors that may have positive or negative effect on athletes' performance, such as dietary intake, muscular rehabilitation, medication for sleep adjustments, oxidative stress and the ways to maximize performance. The most important findings of the review include the reduction of the athlete's performance either from poor quality or from a reduced amount of sleep, while on the contrary the athletes who sleep according to the suggested recommendations show an increase in their performance, faster and more effective recovery of their muscular system. Also, regarding nutrition, athletes who follow proper nutrition programs seem to show better quality and increased amount of sleep, while in cases of poor nutrition, increased sleep disorders occur. Finally, the increased oxidative stress that athletes experience can negatively affect the quality and quantity of sleep, while in many cases where athletes experience sleep disorders, it is recommended to administer hypnotic drugs to treat these disorders.
Keywords:
sleep, athletes, nutrition, rehabilitation, oxidative stress, performance
