Youth Athletes Who Sleep More Are Less Prone to Injury

Can a good night's sleep help prevent sports injuries?

It is well-known that sleep has a direct impact on academic performance in adolescents, but new research reported at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference is also showing it may impact sports performance as well.  

According to the research, youth athletes who slept more than 8 hours per night had a 68% lower risk of sport injuries than those who slept less than 8 hours.

The study involved 112 youth athletes from grades 7-12 and their parents.  Through a survey, researchers documented how much time the athlete spent playing sports (both in and out of school) private coaching, strength training, and sleeping patterns.  

Researchers then cross-referenced injury records with the amount of sleep each athlete got per night.  The results showed that the more sleep youth athletes got, the lower their risk of sports injury.

Another interesting result of the study showed that the older the athlete, the likelihood of a sports injury increased.  The study showed that the risk of sports injury increased 2.3 times for each additional school year.  

The most popular theory for this increase is that many sports injuries can be cumulative and occur over time.  Also, as youth athletes grow they become stronger and faster which can increase the likelihood of injury in contact sports such as football, lacrosse, hockey, and wrestling. 

It is important to create a sleep schedule for students of all ages to ensure they can perform at their best both physically and mentally.  The National Sleep Foundation recommends that all those under the age of 18 sleep a minimum of 8 hours per night.

If a common sports injury does occur, the team at GoHealth Urgent Care can quickly and effectively diagnose and treat these injuries in both children and adults using our on-site x-ray capabilities. 

Our locations are staffed with caring and experienced providers who can also schedule specialists visits (if necessary).

GoHealth Urgent Care partners with:

• Northwell Health in New York City
• Dignity Health in San Francisco
• Legacy Health in Portland & Vancouver
• Hartford HealthCare in Connecticut
• Mercy Health coming to Missouri and Oklahoma in 2018