Young athletes who don’t get at least eight hours of sleep at night may be at a higher risk for sports injuries than well-rested athletes, researchers found.
A study conducted at a private school in California determined that student athletes who slept less than eight hours a night were more likely to suffer an injury during athletic participation and training.
According to the report, roughly 50% of sports-related injuries come from overuse, but the other 50% of injuries are believed to be preventable, said Dr. Matthew Milewski, of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Injury education is one of the more effective techniques in preventing sports injuries, but Dr. Milewski believes these programs need to consider addressing the important role sleep has on a body.
“We’d like injury prevention programs to focus on sleep education.”
Although there are several factors that increase the likelihood of an injury, like increased participation without adequate time off or lack of strength training, insufficient sleep may not allow a body to heal as quickly as it normally would. Insufficient sleep is defined as less than eight hours of sleep a night, and the study revealed that nearly 80% of high school students were not getting an adequate amount of sleep.
After adjusting for variables, the study found that sleep deprivation was the leading independent predictor of an injury, while older teens were also more susceptible to injury.
Sleep studies continue to show the benefits a healthy amount of sleep has on adolescents. Teens have been shown to get better grades and report happier feelings when they get an adequate amount of sleep, and now injury prevention can be added to the list.
Dr. Silverman Comments
The most interesting finding is that sleep deprivation is the leading predictive factor in preventable sports-related injuries. It really highlights the importance of a well-rested student-athlete.
They study also mentions that roughly 50% of injuries are due to overuse, but what if some of these injuries are also attributable to lack of sleep? Sleep is a restorative process that gives the body time to heal injured tissue from the day before, so less rest may not allow certain muscles to properly heal on a day-to-day basis.
While the study focuses on student-athletes, I’m sure other laborious professions could attribute similar injuries to a lack of sleep. Oftentimes I’ve felt that work is an athletic event, so an adequate amount of sleep plays a crucial role in being able to perform daily tasks at a high level.
Related source: MedPageToday.com