Sleep and physical performance in athletes

Sleep is a biological process having several cognitive and physiological functions that are essential for performance in elite athletes. Many studies report that exercise performance is negatively affected by sleep loss; however, findings are still controversial and the potential mechanisms explaining how sleep loss may affect physical performance remain uncertain. Understanding the effects that either decreasing or increasing sleep can have on a range of performance outcomes may be useful to practitioners, coaches, and athletes. This chapter aims to clarify how sleep restriction, sleep deprivation, and sleep extension (both acute and chronic) may affect maximal strength, sub-maximal strength, sport specific performance, and physical performance in athletes.