Teamwork makes the dream work - managing athlete sleep 💤
A multidisciplinary approach to sleep.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: Who Should Be Managing Athletes on Matters Related to Sleep?
Study Details
This new review outlined the potential roles and responsibilities of multidisciplinary teams in supporting athlete sleep 📚
Here are the key findings ⬇️
Key Findings
Athletes ⛹️♂️
🛌 Central to sleep strategies; beliefs and habits shape engagement
Coaches & Management 🧑🏫
👀 Spot issues, adjust schedules, and reinforce sleep advice
Sport Scientists & S&C Coaches 🧪
📊 Track sleep data to guide training load; not trained to diagnose
Physiotherapists 🧑⚕️
🦵 Link pain, recovery, and sleep; can support travel sleep hygiene
Sports Dietitians / SENR Nutritionists 🥗
🍽️ Optimise nutrition to support sleep quality and timing (e.g. tryptophan, omega-3, cherry juice)
Sports Psychologists 🧠
🧘 Manage stress, anxiety, and insomnia; deliver CBT-I and behavioural tools
Sports Physicians 👨⚕️
💊 Assess, treat, and refer sleep-related medical conditions; may prescribe medications
Sleep Specialists 🛌
🔬 Diagnose sleep disorders, guide interventions, and align team strategies
Sleep Health Promotion 🧾
📚 Education
🔍 Screening
✈️ Travel strategies
📜 Culture change
…best delivered collaboratively, with consistent, evidence-based messaging ✅
Conclusion
Supporting athlete sleep requires a collaborative and integrated approach 🤝
Enhancing sleep through this process may enhance overall physical and mental health, reduce injury risk, improve recovery, and ultimately, enhance athletic performance⚡️
Reference
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40711719/
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