Menu

HomeHow it worksContact UsContact Us

Sleep Characteristics of Elite Female Soccer Players Competing in the National Women's Soccer League Across a Competitive Season.

Munro OM, Mutuwa AG, Greenwalt CE, Thomas K, Ansdell P, Howatson G et al. · International journal of sports physiology and performance · 2026

Abstract (source)

Purpose: Sleep supports recovery and readiness in professional sport, yet season-long

Objective: data in women's professional soccer are limited. This study aimed to provide a longitudinal,

objective description of sleep across a competitive season and to compare sleep characteristics between preseason and in-season phases.

Methods: Twenty-seven professional athletes were monitored from January to November 2024 using a finger-worn wearable. Nightly total sleep time (TST), sleep efficiency, sleep onset latency (SOL), and sleep stage durations were extracted. Preseason versus in-season differences were examined using linear mixed-effects models and reported as estimated marginal mean differences with 95% CIs.

Results: During the in-season, TST averaged 7.8 (1.2) hours (median: 7.9 h), sleep efficiency 89.1% (5.4%), and SOL 15.6 (12.6) minutes. Mean sleep stage durations were 262.8 (52.8) minutes (light), 96.6 (31.8) minutes (deep), and 106.8 (34.2) minutes (Rapid Eye Movement). Notable night-to-night variability was observed, particularly for TST (within-player coefficients of variation: 10%-18%) and SOL (50%-114%). Compared with preseason, in-season sleep was characterized by lower REM sleep (-4.8 min, 95% CI -6.9 to -2.8; P

Conclusions: Group averages of sleep parameters might mask individual and seasonal changes in sleep, highlighting the need for longitudinal, athlete-specific monitoring to guide proactive sleep monitoring strategies.

Primary studyRecovery & SleepVelocity-Based & Technology
Read the original →

Related in Recovery & Sleep

Short-term creatine supplementation enhances strength, reduces fatigue, and accelerates recovery in resistance-trained athletes: a double-blind, randomized, crossover trialSleep and Athletic Performance: A Multidimensional Review of Physiological and Molecular MechanismsEffects of sleep deprivation on sports performance and perceived exertion in athletes and non-athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysisThe effects of velocity-based vs. percentage-based resistance training on sports performance in trained individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysisIndividualized responses to velocity-based versus percentage-based resistance training in combat sports athletes: the influence of baseline characteristicsInter-Set Blood-Flow Restriction Increases Peripheral Physiological Stress While Preserving Repeated-Sprint Mechanical Output in Trained Athletes.