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Sleep and Sleep Disorders in Elite Athletes

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Sport and Mental Health

Abstract

Sleep is one of the main pillars of well-being, mental health and athletic performance. Recent research has shown that within elite athletes, a high percentage fails to obtain the recommended amount of at least seven hours of sleep. Besides the quantity, also the quality and circadian rhythm of sleep are often impaired. Poor sleep is leading to altered hormonal metabolism cardiovascular changes and altered cardiovascular and autonomous regulation, disturbed cognitive functions and, as a consequence, poor athletic performance. Furthermore, poor sleep is associated with an increased risk of injuries. This chapter summarises preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

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Mikutta, C.A., Wyssen, A., Müller, T.J. (2023). Sleep and Sleep Disorders in Elite Athletes. In: Baron, D., Wenzel, T., Ströhle, A., Stull, T. (eds) Sport and Mental Health. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-36864-6_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-36864-6_5

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-36863-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-36864-6

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