2026-09-28T00:44:05Zhttps://riubu.ubu.es/oai/request

oai:riubu.ubu.es:10259/121442026-09-26T00:05:22Zcom_10259_11209com_10259_5086com_10259_2604col_10259_11210

Barrenetxea Garcia, Josu Perazzetti, Andrea Nuell, Sergi Sáez de Villarreal, Eduardo Mielgo Ayuso, Juan Calleja González, Julio 2026-09-25T07:43:50Z 2026-09-25T07:43:50Z 2026-03 2509-3142 https://hdl.handle.net/10259/12144 10.1007/S12662-025-01027-Y 2509-3150 Sleep is one of the most important aspects of recovery; however, insufficient sleep has been described in elite athletes. The objective of the present study was to investigate sleep quality and quantity in water polo (WP) players and coaches worldwide. In all, 231 WP players (male: n = 112; female: n = 119) and 76 coaches (male: n = 70; female: n = 6) representing all continents around the world and all levels of competition, completed a freely accessible online survey. This was divided into two sections: sociodemographic data (8 questions), and sleep quality and disorders (10 questions). Based on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) results, 74% of the players and 63.2% of the coaches suffer from a clinically significant sleep disorder. Regarding players, 44.6% deserve medical attention, 28.6% deserve medical attention and medical treatment, and 0.9% have serious sleep problems. In coaches, 36.8% deserve medical attention, 25% deserve medical attention and medical treatment, and 1.3% have serious sleep problems. Players had higher sleep latency (p < 0.01), daytime dysfunction (p < 0.001), and shorter sleep duration (p < 0.01) than coaches; female players had higher sleep latency and daytime dysfunction (p < 0.05) than male players; and amateur male players had shorter sleep duration (p < 0.01) than elite players. These findings reveal deficiencies in sleep quality and quantity in WP worldwide; therefore, WP training staff should seek strategies to improve their sleep hygiene. application/pdf eng Springer Nature German Journal of Exercise and Sport Research. 2026, V. 56, n. 1, p. 61-69 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12662-025-01027-y Atribución 4.0 Internacional http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Slow-wave sleep Circadian Rhythms and Sleep Sleep Deprivation Mental Health Sleep Disorders Sport Psychology Sleep Quality and Athletic Performance Sueño Sleep Poor sleep quality and quantity in water polo players and coaches: a worldwide survey info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion German Journal of Exercise and Sport Research 56 1 61 69