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Elite academy soccer players exhibit compromised sleep quality through fragmentation despite adequate sleep duration

This study of 13 elite U15 academy soccer players found that while total sleep time (431-541 min) and sleep efficiency (84.4%) met age-specific recommendations, wake after sleep onset (53.3 min) and number of awakenings (39.8) substantially exceeded thresholds for good sleep quality. Training days yielded significantly lower total sleep time (431 min) and time in bed (478 min) compared to non-training days (541 min and 596 min, respectively).

Last updated: Jul 15, 2026โ€ข0 RCTsโ€ข๐Ÿ“– Read as article โ†’

Evidence Score

Evidence Score34/100
Human RCTโ˜†โ˜†โ˜†โ˜†โ˜†
Meta-analysisโ˜†โ˜†โ˜†โ˜†โ˜†
Mechanismโ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…
Safetyโ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†
Confidencelow

Study Evidence

Study 1. Objective sleep characteristics of elite academy soccer players: a seven-day actigraphy analysis of a U15 national league squad.

observational

Mason L, Connolly J, Devenney LE, Lacey K, Faulkner M, Doherty R ยท Biology of sport (2026)

Participants: N/A
Duration: 7 days
Intervention: Comparison of day types (training days, non-training days, competition days) via 7-day actigraphy monitoring
Outcome: Total sleep time, time in bed, sleep onset latency, number of awakenings, wake after sleep onset, sleep efficiency
Effect Size: ฮทยฒ=0.09 for TST, ฮทยฒ=0.10 for TIB
Population: Elite academy soccer players (U15 national league squad, n=13)

Result:

PubMed: 42422392DOI: 10.5114/biolsport.2026.158301

Mechanism Graph

Training and competition schedules impose constraints on sleep opportunity
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Training days reduce time in bed and total sleep time compared to non-training days
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Despite adequate duration, sleep is fragmented with high number of awakenings and wake after sleep onset
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Result: Compromised sleep quality through fragmentation in elite adolescent athletes

Limitations

  • โš Small sample size (n=13) limits generalizability
  • โš Actigraphy may overestimate sleep fragmentation compared to polysomnography

Frequently Asked Questions

What sleep parameters were measured in this study?โ–ผ

Total sleep time, time in bed, sleep onset latency, number of awakenings, wake after sleep onset, and sleep efficiency were measured using 7-day actigraphy.

Did training days affect sleep differently than non-training days?โ–ผ

Yes, training days resulted in significantly lower total sleep time (431 min) and time in bed (478 min) compared to non-training days (541 min and 596 min, respectively).

Did the athletes meet sleep recommendations?โ–ผ

Total sleep time and sleep efficiency met age-specific recommendations, but number of awakenings and wake after sleep onset substantially exceeded thresholds for good sleep quality.

What is the main implication of this study?โ–ผ

Comprehensive sleep monitoring in elite adolescent athletes should extend beyond duration alone, as sleep fragmentation indicates compromised quality despite adequate duration.

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References

  1. 1.Mason L, Connolly J, Devenney LE, Lacey K, Faulkner M, Doherty R. "Objective sleep characteristics of elite academy soccer players: a seven-day actigraphy analysis of a U15 national league squad.." Biology of sport, 2026. PMID: 42422392 DOI: 10.5114/biolsport.2026.158301
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Evidence scores reflect the quality and quantity of available research, not clinical recommendations. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement or intervention.