Matt Crawley’s “Sleep in Elite Athletes”

Reviewed by John Baur, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS, FAAOMPT

Matt Crawley’s session underscores a simple idea with big consequences: in high‑performance sport, sleep is a trainable, coachable performance variable, not just a passive recovery state. He frames the talk around three practical pillars—education, screening, and measurement—so coaches can systematize sleep the same way they do strength, conditioning, and skill work. The session also walks through case studies of sleep tracking in elite programs and closes with travel and circadian tactics athletes can implement immediately. ([NSCA TV][1])

Why sleep matters in performance. Crawley reviews the broad effects of insufficient sleep on athlete health and output. In elite and tactical populations alike, short or poor sleep is associated with metabolic dysfunction (e.g., shifts in leptin, ghrelin, testosterone, cortisol), greater illness/injury risk, impaired motor function, and reduced cognitive performance (attention, reaction time, decision‑making). These effects are relevant at both the short‑term (after a few late nights) and long‑term (chronic restriction) timescales and manifest as performance decrements rather than benefits. In other words, sleep loss does not enhance mood or performance—quite the opposite. ([NSCA][2])

How much is enough? For the general adult population, 7–9 hours nightly is recommended, but elite athletes commonly require ~9–10 hours to fully recover and adapt to training and competition. Observational data show many athletes don’t reach that threshold, averaging ~6.5–6.8 h per night—well below their self‑assessed need—highlighting a persistent, fixable recovery gap. Crawley positions this “sleep deficit” as low‑hanging fruit coaches can address to improve readiness and robustness. ([NSCA][2])

A shared vocabulary for coaches and athletes. The talk defines the fundamental sleep metrics that should anchor conversations:

• Total Sleep Time (TST): the total minutes asleep across light, REM, and deep stages—this is the primary quantity target.
• Sleep Latency: time to fall asleep; very short latencies (e.g., < 5 minutes) can be a flag for overtiredness/sleep debt.
• Sleep Efficiency: percent of time in bed actually spent asleep.

Using consistent language demystifies reports from wearables and makes goal‑setting concrete across the staff. ([NSCA][3])

Measuring sleep: what to look for in tools. Crawley stresses a pragmatic stance toward technology. Wearables can be useful for trend‑tracking, coach–athlete dialogue, and decision‑support, but products should have independent validation and reliability data. He notes that some devices estimate TST and efficiency reasonably well, while sleep staging (light/REM/deep) remains less accurate outside the lab. The takeaway is to select validated tools, use them consistently, and interpret stage data cautiously; most programming decisions should hinge on robust, higher‑level measures like TST and latency. ([NSCA][2])

A coach’s ‘sleep toolkit’. Crawley organizes implementation into a three‑part toolkit:

1. Education—normalize talking about sleep, teach ‘why’ (health, performance), and the ‘how’ (sleep hygiene basics) so athletes can self‑manage;
2. Screening—use simple, validated questionnaires (e.g., ASSQ/ASBQ, PSQI) and daily check‑ins to identify issues early and refer when needed;
3. Measurement—choose validated devices (or diaries) that fit the context and budget, then review trends with athletes and staff to drive behavior change. This structure gives coaches an operational path from intent to execution. ([NSCA][2])

Sleep hygiene the talk emphasizes. Several actionable behaviors are highlighted:

• Blue‑light management: limit bright/blue light exposure in the ~2 hours before bedtime to help the circadian system wind down. Software filters are helpful, but behavior (screens down) is better. ([NSCA][3])
• Light timing: seek early‑morning natural light exposure to anchor circadian rhythms and shift the clock appropriately after travel or schedule changes. ([NSCA][3])
• Sleep extension: in heavy phases or when athletes are underslept, consciously increasing TST (e.g., earlier lights‑out, strategic naps) is encouraged; this is “sleep extension.” ([NSCA][3])

 

Travel and jet‑lag strategies. Competition calendars make travel inevitable, so Crawley includes tactics to minimize sleep disruption:

• Movement dose: after travel or on arrival days, a ~20‑minute low‑intensity shakeout is recommended to help the body settle without spiking arousal or load.
• Light timing: get morning sunlight in the destination time zone; avoid bright light late evening.
• Routine: stabilize meal times, caffeine timing, and pre‑bed rituals to help the clock re‑ ([NSCA][3])

Case studies and applied decision‑making. The session references high‑performance case studies where sleep tracking was integrated with training load, wellness, and performance metrics. The point is not gadgetry—it’s using sleep data to inform day‑to‑day coaching decisions (e.g., adjusting the intensity of a session after red‑eye travel, moving a technical session earlier for an ‘early‑type’ athlete, or deploying sleep extension in congested schedules). Coaches are encouraged to use small, high‑yield changes—like blue‑light curfews, morning light, and earlier bedtimes—rather than relying solely on advanced devices to “fix” recovery. ([NSCA TV][4])

Bottom line. Crawley reframes sleep as a strategic lever. By educating athletes, screening systematically, measuring with validated tools, and applying circadian‑savvy behaviors (even simple ones), coaches can meaningfully improve readiness, reduce risk, and support long‑term development—no all‑nighters required. ([NSCA][2])

1. Which of the following is not an expected effect of short‑ or long‑term sleep loss?

Enhanced mood (Metabolic dysfunction and performance decrements are expected with sleep loss.)

2. Minimum daily sleep recommended for elite athletes?

9 hours (elite needs exceed the general population.)

3. How long before bedtime should athletes limit blue‑light exposure?

About 2 hours.

4. Post‑travel, what exercise dose helps minimize sleep disruption?

~20‑minute low‑intensity “shakeout” session.

5. Key requirement when choosing a wearable to track sleep?

Independent validation and reliability evidence.

6. What does ‘total sleep’ quantify?

The minutes spent asleep across light, REM, and deep stages (i.e., summed stage time).

7. Which sleep latency value can indicate overtiredness/sleep debt?

< 5 minutes to fall asleep.

8. Compared with the general public, how much sleep do athletes need for recovery?

A greater amount.

9. What is “sleep extension”?

Deliberately increasing total sleep time (e.g., earlier lights‑out, planned naps).

10. When is sunlight exposure most helpful for circadian alignment?

Early morning (destination local time when traveling).

References:

Crawley M. Sleep in Elite Athletes. NSCA TV. Coaches Conference 2022. `https://www.nsca.tv/videos/matt-crawley-coaches-2022-sleep-in-elite-athletes` ([NSCA TV][1])

Crawley M, Melton BAF. Sleep Health in High Performance Populations—Considerations to Optimize Athletic Potential. TSAC Report. 2022;64(1). https://www.nsca.com/education/articles/tsac-report/sleep-health-in-high-performance-populationsconsiderations-to-optimize-athletic-potential/` ([NSCA][2])