Sleep Hygiene Training in Gymnasts: Sleep Behaviour, Quality and Sleepiness

Sleep Hygiene Training in Gymnasts: Quasi-Experimental Study on Sleep Behaviour, Quality and Sleepiness

Sleep is essential to human health and well-being. Lack of or poor sleep can negatively impact cognitive function, mood, and physical performance. Athletes, especially elite athletes, are at risk for sleep problems due to heavy training schedules and the stress of travel.

Lack of or poor sleep can negatively impact athletes in many ways, including lack of sleep can lead to mood disorders such as irritability, anxiety, and depression. This may have a negative impact on athlete motivation and participation in training. Sleep deprivation can lead to decreased muscle strength, endurance, and coordination. This can affect an athlete's performance in training and competition phase.

Sleep hygiene refers to a set of practices aimed at regulating the sleep environment and habits to improve sleep quality. Sleep hygiene education is an intervention designed to teach athletes about the importance of sleep hygiene to improve their sleep quality. As sleep quality improves, attention, concentration, memory, and decision-making skills also improve . This can help athletes to perform better during training and competition. As sleep quality improves, mood disorders such as irritability, anxiety, and depression decrease. This can increase athlete motivation and participation in training. As sleep quality improves, so does muscle strength, endurance, and coordination.

This study will be one of the first study conduct on human to examine the effectiveness of sleep hygiene education among gymnasts. Gymnasts, like other athletes, are prone to sleep problems for the reasons mentioned above. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the impact of sleep hygiene education on the sleep quality of gymnasts and indirectly on sports performance and sleep health as well as its underlying mechanisms. Additionally, this study has the potential to make a significant contribution to the field of exercise science by examining the effectiveness of sleep hygiene education, specifically among gymnasts. By examining effects on sleep quality, athletic performance, and sleep health, this study could provide valuable insights into developing targeted interventions to optimize sleep and health in gymnasts.

The duration of the measurements will be in week 1 to see the acute effects of sleep, and as a minimum of 18-21 days is required for behavioural change, sleep measurements will be made in week 4.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Voluntariness: Participants must be willing to participate in the study voluntarily and provide informed consent.
• Elite Gymnasts: Participants must be elite gymnasts competing at the national level.
• Being Healthy: Participants must be in good health and free of any significant medical conditions that could affect their sleep or participation in the study.
• No Prior Sleep Hygiene Training: Participants must not have received any formal sleep education or intervention in the past.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Complications During the Intervention: Participants who experience any complications during the sleep hygiene education intervention will be excluded from the study.
• Regular Use of Sleep-Affecting Medication