Sanders Nicole, Randell Rebecca K, Thomas Craig, Bailey Stephen J, Clifford Tom
School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3HT, UK.
Gatorade Sports Science Institute, Life Sciences R&D, PepsiCo, Leicester LE4 1ET, UK.
Sports (Basel). 2025 Jun 19;13(6):189. doi: 10.3390/sports13060189.
The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the sleep characteristics and behaviours of senior male, senior female, and under 21 (U21) male elite soccer players using athlete-specific questionnaires. During the preseason/early season period, 74 players from the English Premier League (n = 26, age 26 ± 5 y), Women's Super League (n = 22, age 25 ± 5 y), and English Premier League 2 (n = 26, age 19 ± 1 y) completed the validated Athlete Sleep Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) to obtain a sleep difficulty score (SDS) and the Athlete Sleep Behaviour Questionnaire (ASBQ) to obtain a global score and individual behaviours. We found that sleep difficulty scores were higher in senior females (5.9 ± 1.9) than senior males (4.1 ± 1.7) and U21 males (4.3 ± 1.2) ( ≤ 0.006), but no severe clinical problems were noted. Global sleep behaviour scores from the ASBQ were worse in senior males (37.9 ± 6.5) and senior females (40.6 ± 7.1) than male U21 players (33.6 ± 4.7) ( ≤ 0.021). Senior players consumed more alcohol and stimulants and felt that travel disrupted sleep; females went to bed thirstier, woke more for the bathroom, and ruminated more prior to sleep (all < 0.05). In conclusion, senior female players reported more sleep difficulties than male senior and male U21 players. Behaviours such as pre-bed rumination, nutrition, and travel plans could be targeted to improve sleep quality in soccer players. Study limitations include data drawn from a single club in the off-season.
这项横断面研究的目的是使用针对运动员的问卷，评估老年男性、老年女性和21岁以下（U21）男性精英足球运动员的睡眠特征和行为。在季前赛/赛季初期，来自英超联赛（n = 26，年龄26±5岁）、女子超级联赛（n = 22，年龄25±5岁）和英超联赛2（n = 26，年龄19±1岁）的74名球员完成了经过验证的运动员睡眠筛查问卷（ASSQ），以获得睡眠困难评分（SDS），并完成了运动员睡眠行为问卷（ASBQ），以获得总体评分和个体行为。我们发现，老年女性（5.9±1.9）的睡眠困难评分高于老年男性（4.1±1.7）和U21男性（4.3±1.2）（P≤0.006），但未发现严重的临床问题。ASBQ的总体睡眠行为评分在老年男性（37.9±6.5）和老年女性（40.6±7.1）中比U21男性球员（33.6±4.7）更差（P≤0.021）。老年球员饮酒和使用兴奋剂更多，并且认为旅行会干扰睡眠；女性上床睡觉时更口渴，因上厕所醒来的次数更多，并且在睡前反复思考的次数更多（均P<0.05）。总之，老年女性球员报告的睡眠困难比老年男性和U21男性球员更多。可以针对睡前反复思考、营养和旅行计划等行为来改善足球运动员的睡眠质量。研究局限性包括数据来自淡季的一个俱乐部。
