1
Department of Coaching Education, School of Physical Education and Sport, Harran University, Şanlıurfa, Türkiye
2
School of Physical Education, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, China
Abstract
The aim of this study was to compare sleep efficiency and overall sleep quality in team and combat sport athletes according to sex and sport type, and to examine the effect of weight loss magnitude among combat athletes. A total of 474 athletes participated in the study, including 248 males (mean age: 20.8 ± 2.1 years) and 226 females (mean age: 20.3 ± 1.9 years). Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Data were analyzed using independent samples t-tests and one-way ANOVA in SPSS 25 at a significance level of p < 0.05. The results demonstrated significant sex-related differences in overall sleep quality, with female athletes generally exhibiting poorer PSQI scores than males. Comparisons by sport type revealed that combat sport athletes showed significantly lower sleep efficiency and higher overall sleep disturbance scores compared to team sport athletes in both sexes. Additionally, among combat sport athletes, greater weight loss was associated with markedly poorer sleep quality, with PSQI scores increasing substantially when body weight reduction exceeded 4%. In conclusion, sleep quality in athletes is influenced by sex, sport type, and weight-loss practices. In particular, rapid or excessive weight loss appears to impair sleep efficiency in combat sports. Implementing controlled and conscious weight-management strategies may help protect sleep quality and support athletic performance and recovery.
Keywords
Sleep quality, sex differences,weight loss,athletes,Pittsburgh sleep quality index
How to Cite
Akıllıoglu, O., & Cherkashin, I. (2026). Comparison of sleep efficiency by gender in team and combat sport athletes. Journal of ROL Sport Sciences, 7, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.70736/jrolss.2155
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Ilia Cherkashin
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