Loading...
Can sleep be used as an indicator of overreaching and overtraining in athletes?
Michelle Lastella Grace E. Vincent Rob Duffield Gregory D. Roach Shona Halson Luke J. Heales Charli Sargent
Michelle Lastella
Grace E. Vincent
Rob Duffield
Gregory D. Roach
Shona Halson
Luke J. Heales
Charli Sargent
Abstract
To achieve optimal athletic performance and competition readiness, it is crucial to balance the highest appropriate training stimulus with sufficient recovery. Excessive and/or progressive increases in training load are integral to improving athletic performance (Halson, 2014). However, increased training loads and/or inadequate recovery can result in maladaptation to training, and if continued, can lead to the development of overreaching/overtraining (Meeusen et al., 2013; Cadegiani and Kater, 2017). In terms of recovery, sleep is an essential component of an athlete's recuperation due to its physiological and psychological restorative effects (Dinges et al., 1997; Pejovic et al., 2013). Sleep quantity and quality declines following augmented increases (+30%) in training load (Hausswirth et al., 2014), and poor sleep is a common complaint among overreached and/or overtrained athletes (Wall et al., 2003). Regardless of whether reduced sleep is a cause or effect of overreaching and/or overtraining, it is possible that measures of sleep could serve as an indicator of the presence of overreaching and/or overtraining. This opinion article will examine the current research underpinning the relationship between insufficient sleep and the development of overreaching/overtraining, describe the implications for practitioners (e.g., sport and exercise scientists, coaches), and identify areas for future research.
Keywords
intensified training, recovery, exercise, athlete monitoring, training load, training scheduling
Date
2018
Type
Journal article
Journal
Frontiers in Physiology
Book
Volume
9
Issue
Page Range
1-4
Article Number
ACU Department
School of Behavioural and Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
Published as ‘gold’ (paid) open access
License
File Access
Open