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Time to wake up: individualising the approach to sleep promotion interventions
  1. Hugh H K Fullagar1,2,
  2. Jonathan D Bartlett3,4
  1. 1Institute of Sport and Preventive Medicine, Saarland University, Saarbrucken, Germany
  2. 2Sport & Exercise Discipline Group, UTS: Health, Eton Road, Lindfield, University of Technology, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
  3. 3Institute of Sport Exercise and Active Living, Victoria University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  4. 4Western Bulldogs FC, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  1. Correspondence to Hugh HK Fullagar, Institute of Sport and Preventive Medicine, Saarland University, GEB, B.8.2, 66123, Saarbrucken, Germany; hugh.fullagar{at}uni-saarland.de

Abstract

Sleep is fundamental to normal physiological and cognitive function. Sleep promotion strategies have been used extensively in clinical settings, as a treatment for various ailments (ie, insomnia). However, sleep problems are prevalent outside these realms, with 56% of American, 31% of Western European and 29% of Japanese people suffering from sleep problems the previous year. The global public health concern over sleep has increased the demand for sleep promotion interventions, but the efficacy of these strategies is unclear in otherwise healthy and athletic populations. One possibility is due to the presentation and analysis of grouped data, despite sleep naturally being a highly variable and inherent trait. We argue the case for (1) presenting sleep data at the individual level and (2) individualising sleep promotion interventions.

  • Exercise
  • Recovery
  • Performance
  • Athlete
  • Public health

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