0192 Sleep Baseline for D1 Football Athletes

Abstract Introduction Sleep is essential for physical recovery, cognitive functioning, and overall well-being, yet collegiate athletes experience significant sleep disturbance. Given limited research on elite athlete sleep, this study aims to establish a baseline for D1 football players’ sleep quantity, quality, caffeine use, and self-reported mental health to inform targeted interventions and support future research. Methods A questionnaire was administered to 114 members of a Division I football team. Demographic measures included age, childhood economic status, and ethnicity. Other factors that were measured included caffeine consumption, chronotype, and total sleep disturbance (Athletic Sleep Screening Questionnaire; ASSQ). Results Descriptive analyses characterized the sample of 114 athletes (age = 21.18, weight = 234.43 lbs), with diverse racial representation and predominantly middle class childhood SES. ANOVAs examined how caffeine use and mental health, analyzed in separate models, correlated with the measured sleep-related factors. Poorer mental health was associated with higher sleep disturbance (p < .001) and later chronotype patterns (p = .048). Adjusted R² = .235, signifying that the model accounted for 23.5% of variance in mental health scores. No significant correlates with caffeine use were found. Conclusion Sleep is essential for health and performance, yet collegiate athletes commonly experience inadequate or disturbed sleep. Prior literature establishes that football players are at higher risk of sleep disturbances such as insomnia symptoms and sleep-disorder breathing. Higher sleep disturbance and later chronotype patterns appear to be correlated with self-reported mental health. This indicates that sleep timing and sleep hygiene may be the most effective sleep interventions to impact the mental health of football players. These patterns indicate both behavioral and physiological contributors. Establishing this baseline supports targeted sleep-health interventions, enhances performance and recovery, and provides a foundation for future research on sleep, mental health, and modifiable factors in elite athletes. Support (if any)