The Relationship Between Dietary Nutrients and Sleep in Elite Athletes: a Pilot Study

Sleep is essential for physical recovery and performance in athletes, and diet is one of the major factors influencing sleep. However, the relationship between dietary nutrients and sleep in elite athletes is not well understood. This study aims to examine the association between nutrient intake and sleep quality in elite athletes. A total of 115 elite athletes (75.3% (n=78) males; mean age: 68.70±10.91 years) from five sports (swimming, canoeing, archery, volleyball and taekwondo) were included in the study. All athletes were at national/professional competitive level. Sleep quality was measured using the Richard-Campbell Sleep Scale (RCSQ). Food consumption was recorded over 24 hours and the data were analysed using nutritional software (Nutrition Information Systems (BeBiS version 8.1)). The daily sleep duration of the participants was 7.50 ± 0.92 hours. The RCSQ score was 62.54 ± 22.49 and 28.6% of the participants had poor sleep quality. The good sleeper group had higher intakes of energy (kcal), protein (g/kg and g) and tryptophan (g/kg and g) (p < 0.05). Nutrient intakes in elite athletes are associated with sleep and may play a role in sleep disorders. Research should investigate causal relationships between nutrient intake and sleep, and the efficacy of dietary interventions to improve sleep in elite athletes with nutrient deficiencies.