Date of Completion

2024

Document Type

Honors College Thesis

Department

Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences

Thesis Type

Honors College

First Advisor

Jeremy Sibold

Second Advisor

Susan Kasser

Third Advisor

Susan Whitman

Keywords

Sleep quality, Mood disturbance, Prepardness, College Athletes, POMS, ASSQ

Abstract

Background: Sleep is closely related to physical and mental performance. Prior research has demonstrated relationships among sleep quality, mental health, and exercise in college-aged adults.

Methods: We conducted a survey study to explore the relationship between sleep, mood, and subjective preparedness for exercise among the University of Vermont’s NCAA Division 1 women’s hockey team. Members of the team completed a survey that included both the Profile of Mood States (POMS) and the Athlete Sleep Scale Questionnaire (ASSQ) to assess total mood disturbance (TMD) and Sleep Disturbance Score (SDS) respectively. Surveys were completed the morning after a rigorous physical conditioning session.

Results: 17 athletes, aged 19-24 participated in the study. The mean score for preparedness for the workout was 5.82.The mean SDS score was 12.35 (±1.27) and the mean TMD was 10.29 (±10.97). There was a negative correlation between athlete’s SDS and preparedness of exercise (-0.537). There was a positive correlation between SDS and TMD (0.458). Tension, anger, depression and confusion scores and their correlations with SDS scores were statistically significant (p<0.05). The relationship between SDS with fatigue and vigor was not statistically significant. Those with increased levels of tension, anger, depression, and confusion also reported increased feelings of preparedness for the rigorous conditioning session.

Discussion: Higher self-reported sleep quality was associated with less mood disturbance the morning after a rigorous physical conditioning session, suggesting a positive relationship between SDS and TMD. Additionally, subjective exercise preparedness decreased as sleep and mood disturbance increased, suggesting sleep, mood, and feelings of preparedness all impact each other, influencing athlete’s physical and mental performance.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

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