Handling shifts during an overnight sailing regatta: Comparison between sleep management strategies

• DOI: 10.1111/sms.14273
• Publication Date: 2022-11-20T14:54:10Z
• Authors: Simone Bruno; Serena Ceccanti; Andrea Bazzani; Paola d'Ascanio; Paolo Frumento; Ugo Faraguna
• Keywords: 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; endurance; night shifts; sailing; sleep management; sport performance; Work Schedule Tolerance; Surveys and Questionnaires; Humans; Sleep; Sports; Circadian Rhythm

The study aims to investigate the association between different sleep management strategies and the final ranking during a one‐night sailing race. A large sample of 190 teams participating in the overnight sailing regatta (151 Miglia) were included in the study. The experimental design consisted of two surveys, administered one before the start of the race and the other after the arrival. The questionnaires provided general information on the sailboat, its crew, and the strategy adopted to manage sleep during the race. In this one‐night regatta, the self‐management of sleep/wake timing emerged as the most successful strategy. Among participants who adopted a shift‐based racing strategy, a short night shift duration (i.e., 2 h) significantly predicted a better placement. These findings confirmed the relevance of sleep management in sport performance and provided new insights into the most suitable sleep management strategy during a relatively short offshore regatta. The conclusions might apply also to similar continuous‐cycle activities. Further investigations are needed to explore best sleep management strategy in team regattas of longer duration.