Ramadan observance exacerbated the negative effects of COVID-19 lockdown on sleep and training behaviors: an international survey on 1681 Muslim athlete
Date
2022-06-30
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Publisher
Frontiers Media S.A.
Abstract
Objective: Disrupted sleep and training behaviors in athletes have been reported during the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed at investigating the combined effects of Ramadan observance and COVID-19 related lockdown in Muslim athletes. Methods: From an international sample of athletes (n = 3911), 1681 Muslim athletes (from 44 countries; 25.1 ± 8.7 years, 38% females, 41% elite, 51% team sport athletes) answered a retrospective, cross-sectional questionnaire relating to their behavioral habits pre- and during- COVID-19 lockdown, including: (i) Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI); (ii) insomnia severity index (ISI); (iii) bespoke questions about training, napping, and eating behaviors, and (iv) questions related to training and sleep behaviors during-lockdown and Ramadan compared to lockdown outside of Ramadan. The survey was disseminated predominately through social media, opening July 8th and closing September 30th, 2020. Results: The lockdown reduced sleep quality and increased insomnia severity (both p<0.001). Compared to non-Muslim (n=2230), Muslim athletes reported higher PSQI and ISI scores during-lockdown (both p<0.001), but not pre-lockdown (p>0.05). Muslim athletes reported longer (p<0.001; d=0.29) and later (p<0.001; d=0.14) daytime naps, and an increase in late-night meals (p<0.001; d=0.49) during- compared to pre-lockdown. Both sleep quality (χ2=222.6; p<0.001) and training volume (χ2=342.4; p<0.001) were lower during-lockdown and Ramadan compared to lockdown outside of Ramadan in the Muslims athletes. Conclusion: Muslim athletes reported lower sleep quality and higher insomnia severity during- compared to pre-lockdown, and this was exacerbated by Ramadan observance. Therefore, further attention to Muslim athletes is warranted when a circadian disrupter (e.g., lockdown) occurs during Ramadan. © 2022 Romdhani, Ammar, Trabelsi, Chtourou, Vitale, Masmoudi, Nedelec, Rae, Al-horani, BEN SAAD, Bragazzi, Donmez, Dergaa, DRISS, Farooq, Hammouda, Harroum, Hassanmirzaei, Khalladi, Khemila, Mataruna-Dos-Santos, Moussa-Chamari, Mujika, Muñoz Helú, Norouzi Fashkhami, Paineiras-Domingos, Rahbari Khaneghah, Saita, Souabni, Souissi, Washif, Weber, Zmijewski, Taylor, Garbarino and Chamari.
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Keywords
Confinement, pandemic, Religious fasting, Sleep-wake pattern, training load
Citation
Romdhani, M., Ammar, A., Trabelsi, K., Chtourou, H., Vitale, J. A., Masmoudi, L., . . . Chamari, K. (2022). Ramadan observance exacerbated the negative effects of COVID-19 lockdown on sleep and training behaviors: A international survey on 1,681 Muslim athletes. Frontiers in Nutrition, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.925092