The relationship between subjective sleep, mental health, and life skills acquisition among university student-athletes: A study on gender differences

As an athlete, including collegiate athletes, it goes without saying that daily training, a diverse diet, and adequate rest are essential for optimal athletic performance. Among these, ''sleep'' plays a critical role in recovering the body from the demands of intense training. Life skills are thought to be effective in improving the quality of sleep. Therefore, the present study aims to examine the relationship between subjective sleep quality, mental health, and the acquisition of LS in collegiate athletes, with a focus on gender differences. The participants were 153 student-athletes (98 males, 55 females; mean age 21.50±0.35 years) from S University in Yamaguchi Prefecture. The survey was conducted by the course instructor outside of regular class hours. As a result, in female athletes, there was a tendency for negative correlations between poorer sleep quality and the subscales of Life Skills, including ''Best Effort,'' ''Courtesy/Manners,'' and ''Responsible Behavior,'' as well as the overall LS score (all p < .10). However, a positive correlation was observed with a higher level of satisfaction with their current life (r = 0.28, p < .05). On the other hand, both male and female athletes showed a tendency for a negative correlation with ''Best Effort,'' and it was found that longer training hours were associated with improved sleep quality. These findings suggest that in higher education institutions, sleep should be positioned as a crucial activity to support Life Skills education and to ensure the smooth balancing of academic and athletic life for university student-athletes. Furthermore, there is a need for efforts to educate student-athletes on the importance of sleep, and it is essential for them to develop sleep management behaviors (skills) to the point where they can practice them unconsciously in their daily lives