Association between energy availability and sleep quality in elite female and male swimmers: a brief report.

Publication/Presentation Date

12-31-2026

Abstract

BACKGROUND: There is a high prevalence of poor sleep quality and low energy availability (EA) in athletes during phases of intensive training, which poses significant risks for overreaching, improper recovery, and compromised training adaptations. To mitigate these risks, there is a need to explore the relationship between EA and sleep quality. To determine the interrelationships between EA and sleep quality, we assessed EA and sleep quality (sleep duration

METHODS: The participants included 26 elite male (

RESULTS: Among all swimmers, 69% exhibited sub-optimal EA (< 45 kcal/kg FFM/d). Male swimmers exhibited greater EA and SWS versus females (

CONCLUSION: Higher EA was significantly associated with greater REM and SWS durations, and with lower sleep debt in elite male and female college swimmers. Although cause and effect were not established, these findings provide preliminary evidence that adequate EA may support better sleep quality in elite collegiate swimmers. If this is confirmed, our results may suggest that athletes should get adequate sleep and consume adequate calories to support energy expenditure needs and optimize training and recovery. Future research should explore the underlying mechanisms and whether low EA causally impacts sleep quality.

Volume

23

Issue

1

First Page

2665547

Last Page

2665547

ISSN

1550-2783

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

PubMedID

42070107

Department(s)

Medical Education

Document Type

Article

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