Pedro Pinheiro Paes1, Frederico Camarotti Júnior1, Wlaldemir Roberto dos Santos2, Rubem Cordeiro Feitosa1, Pedro Henrique da Silva Zeferino3, Bruna Daniele Monteiro Lima1, Byanka Santos Cavalcante de Oliveira1, Marlene Salvina Fernandes da Costa2
1Federal University of Pernambuco, Department of Physical Education, Recife, Brazil
2University of Pernambuco, School of Physical Education, Recife, Brazil
3Federal University of Pernambuco, Department of Psychology, Recife, Brazil
Context is Key: University Sports Practice and its Influence on Sleep Patterns
Sport Mont 2026, 24(1), Ahead of Print | DOI: 10.26773/smj.260202
Abstract
Sleep is an essential component of health and is subject to deprivation in university and sports contexts. Its relationship with physical activity can be beneficial or harmful, depending on intensity and volume. This study investigated the influ ence of sports practice on the sleep patterns of university students, comparing athletes and non-athletes. Sixty UFPE students took part, 30 athletes (15 men and 15 women) and 30 non-athletes (15 men and 15 women), who answered the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Epworth Sleep iness Scale (ESS). Statistical analyses were carried out using parametric and non-parametric tests (p<0.05). Athletes had longer total sleep time (6.88±1.32 h vs. 6.03±1.07 h; p=0.01; ES=0.70) and better overall sleep quality (6.87±3.05 vs. 8.40±3.06; p=0.04; ES=0.78) compared to non-athletes. Analysis by gender indicated that male athletes had longer sleep times (6.90±1.34 h vs. 6.00±1.13 h; p=0.05; ES=0.72), better subjective (0.46±0.69 vs. 1.07±0.70; p=0.02; ES=0.89) and global sleep quality (5.87±3.50 vs. 8.13±3.04; p=0.04; ES=0.69) than male non-athletes , while among women there was a trend towards better patterns in the athlete group, with no significant differences. No differences were found in daytime sleepiness between the groups. The study concludes that regular sports practice is associated with healthier sleep patterns, especially among men, reinforcing the importance of institutional actions that encourage sport in the university environment as a health promotion strategy.
Keywords
university students, sport, physical activity, sleep quality
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