Nutrition Strategies to Promote Sleep in Elite Athletes: A Scoping Review
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials & Methods
2.1. Protocol and Registration
2.2. Eligibility Criteria
2.3. Search Strategy and Database Selection
2.4. Study Selection
2.5. Data Charting and Data Items
2.6. Critical Appraisal of Individual Sources of Evidence
2.6.1. NUQUEST
2.6.2. The Paper to Podium Matrix
2.7. Synthesis of Results
3. Results
3.1. PRISMA Diagram
3.2. NUQUEST
3.3. Paper to Podium Matrix
3.4. Synthesis of Results
3.4.1. Fruit
Kiwi Fruit
Tart Cherry Juice
3.4.2. Dairy
3.4.3. Probiotic
3.4.4. Protein & Protein Derivatives
Protein & Tryptophan
Casein
A-Lactalbumin
3.4.5. Energy Intake, Micronutrient Intake and Timing
Energy Intake
Type of Macronutrient Pre-Sleep
4. Discussion
4.1. Fruit, Dairy & Probiotics
4.1.1. Fruit
4.1.2. Dairy
4.1.3. Probiotics
4.2. Macronutrients
4.2.1. Protein & Derivatives
4.2.2. Carbohydrate Intake Pre-Sleep
4.2.3. Energy Availability and Meal Timing
4.3. Micronutrients
4.4. Limitations & Future Directions
5. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Author | Study Design | Population | Sleep Assessment | Nutrient Strategy | Timing | Sleep Outcome | NUQUEST Rating | P2P Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ferguson et al., 2022 [34] | Double-blinded, counterbalanced, randomised, crossover study | 15 elite male AFL players | Wrist activity monitors and sleep diaries | 55 g whey protein (1 g tryptophan) | Evening time (on training and 2 non-training days) during pre-season. | No improvement in sleep duration or quality who already have adequate sleep | Good | 14 |
Greenwalt et al., 2023 [35] | Retrospective Study | 14 Div 1 female soccer players. Menstrual cycle not tracked | WHOOP bands (24 h monitoring), surveys | Pre-sleep protein intake (>5 g) | Various times during the in-season | >5 g protein before bed lowered recovery score by 11.41 percentage points, but no significant effect | Neutral | 13 |
MacInnis et al., 2020 [36] | Randomised, Double-Blind Cross-Over Design | 6 male elite cyclists | Wrist-based actigraphy | A 40-g serving of α-Lactalbumin with essential amino acids (19.7 g), leucine (4.3 g], and tryptophan (1.9 g) | 2 h pre-sleep (3 consecutive evenings) during an in-season training camp | No improvement in TST, time in bed, or SE | Good | 13 |
Valenzuela et al., 2023 [37] | Double-blinded, parallel-group, three-arm, randomised controlled design. | 24 Pro U23 Cyclists. Gender not specified. Menstrual cycle not tracked. | Self-rated sleep quality | 40 g casein | 40 g casein (10.30 PM), 40 g casein (6.30 PM), or 40 g carbs (10.30 PM) at the 6-day training camp in pre-season. | No significant group differences in sleep quality | Good | 13 |
Chung et al., 2022 [38] | Double Blind Randomised Controlled Trial | 19 elite female hockey players. None experienced menstruation during the study. | Sleep quality, melatonin & cortisol levels | 30 mL tart cherry juice in 200 mL water | 5 doses over 48 h (morning and evening) during camp training in pre-season | No effect on melatonin/cortisol, but improved sleep quality | Good | 12 |
Gratwicke et al., 2023 [39] | Double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial | 18 semi-professional female rugby union players. Menstrual cycle not tracked | Actiwatch 2, Philips Respironics, Pennsylvania, USA | 40 g of α-Lactalbumin protein powder (4.8 tryptophan/100 g] | 300 mL of water and consumed approximately 2 h before going to bed in pre-season and in-season in 4 × 7 day blocks | Pre-sleep α-Lactalbumin consumption improved SOL in a semi-professional female team-sport cohort | Good | 12 |
Harnett et al., 2021 [40] | Double Blind randomised control trial | 19 elite male rugby athletes | Self-reported sleep quality, salivary biomarkers | Daily probiotic (Ultrabiotic 60 TM & SBFloractvi TM with 250 mg Saccharomyces boulardii) vs. placebo | Daily for 17 weeks in-season | Across both groups, increased muscle soreness & C-Reactive Protein (CRP) reduced sleep quality; decreased soreness & CRP improved sleep | Good | 12 |
Doherty et al., 2023 [29] | Open Label Trial | 15 elite national sailors and middle-distance runners. Menstrual cycle was not tracked in females. | Questionnaire battery (RESTq Sport *, PSQI **, CSD-C ***, RU- Sated, sleep diary) | 130 g or 2 kiwi fruit. Following the baseline assessment (Week 1) all subjects began the intervention (Weeks 2–5). | 1 h pre-bed during pre-season (n = 10) and in-season (n = 5) | Improved sleep quality, increased TST & SE%, reduced number of awakenings and reduced WASO | Good | 11 |
Ergolu et al., 2024 [41] | A Pilot Study: Cross-sectional design | 115 elite athletes (swimming, canoeing, archery, volleyball, taekwondo) | Richard-Campbell Sleep Scale (RCSQ) | 24-h food consumption recorded and analysed using nutritional software (Nutrition Information Systems BeBiS version 8.1) | No specific intervention and 90% participants in-season | Insufficient calorie intake is associated with poorer sleep. Good sleepers consumed 1.6 g/kg BM protein and 1350 mg tryptophan | Good | 11 |
Condo et al., 2022 [42] | Prospective Cohort Study | 32 elite female Australian football league players. Menstrual cycle not tracked. | Activity monitors, sleep diaries | Diet monitored (carbohydrate, fat, iron, zinc, B12) | 10 consecutive days during pre-season | Increased carbohydrate intake is associated with increased WASO & decreased SE. Higher iron, zinc, and B12 improved sleep outcomes | Good | 10 |
Falkenberg et al., 2021 [43] | Prospective cohort study design | 36 male elite AFL | Wrist actigraphy, sleep diaries | Evening sugar, protein and meal timing analysis | 10 consecutive days during pre-season | High sugar and a long time between eating and bed reduced TST; evening protein reduced SOL | Good | 10 |
Yasuda et al., 2019 [44] | Cross-sectional Study | 679 Japanese elite athletes (2016 Rio candidates] with menstrual cycle not tracked in females). | Self-reported questionnaires | Frequency of milk/dairy consumption (0–2x, 3–5x, 6–7x per week) | Overall daily dairy intake in pre-season before the 2016 Olympic Games | Higher milk consumption is associated with better sleep quality in women, not men | Neutral | 10 |
Nutrition Strategy | Implementation | Sex | Sport | Time of the Season | Efficacy of Strategy * |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kiwi fruit | 2 x kiwifruit (1 h Before bed) may improve sleep duration, SE, number of awakenings, WASO, sleep quality, and reduce fatigue the morning after. | Male & Female | Sailing & Endurance | In-season and pre-season | High Potential |
Tart Cherry Juice | 30 mL tart cherry juice consumed 5 times over 48 h, morning and evening, may improve TTB, reduce periods of WASO, and reduce movement index while sleeping. | Female | Hockey | Pre-season | High Potential |
Milk & Dairy consumption | Greater frequency of milk consumption (5–7 d/wk.) is associated with a reduced risk of deteriorating perceived sleep quality | Female | Multiple | Pre-season | High Potential |
Protein & Tryptophan | Higher evening protein intake (>1 h pre-sleep) is associated with shorter SOL. Good sleepers tend to consume protein of ~1.6 g·kg−1 per day and a tryptophan intake of ~1350 mg. Improvements inconclusive in those already consuming a high-protein diet (>2.5 g·kg−1 BM). | Male & Female | AFL, Cycling, and Rugby Union | In–season and pre-season | Moderate Potential |
A-lactalbumin | No difference in sleep quality compared to collagen peptides, but it has been shown to potentially improve SOL during a season. | Female | Rugby Union | In-season and pre-season | Moderate Potential |
Probiotic | Daily probiotic (Ultrabiotic 60 TM & SBFloractivit TM with 250 mg Saccharomyces boulardii) consumption for 17 weeks may help leg heaviness and muscle soreness with reduced CRP concentrations & muscle soreness being related to improved sleep quality and quantity. | Male | Rugby Union | In-season | Moderate Potential |
Zinc, Iron & B12 | Optimal levels of Zinc, Vitamin B12, and Iron may improve sleep quality. | Female | Australian Football League | Pre-season | Moderate Potential |
Timing | Every additional 1 h between the main evening meal and bedtime may be associated with a decrease in TST and reduced periods of WASO. | Male | Australian Football League | In-season | Moderate Potential |
Total Calorie Intake | Insufficient calorie intake is associated with poorer sleep, so appropriate refuelling strategies to meet caloric demands may increase TST. | Male & Female | Swimming, Canoeing, Archery, Volleyball, Taekwondo | In-season & pre-season | Moderate Potential |
Carbohydrate intake pre-bed | Carbohydrate intake to meet energy & recovery needs should be well planned, as high carbohydrate intakes and high sugar intake pre-bed can be associated with increased WASO and reduced SE. | Male & Female | Multiple | In-season & pre-season | Uncertain Potential (due to conflicting evidence) |
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Rackard, G.; Madigan, S.M.; Connolly, J.; Keaver, L.; Ryan, L.; Doherty, R. Nutrition Strategies to Promote Sleep in Elite Athletes: A Scoping Review. Sports 2025, 13, 342. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13100342
Rackard G, Madigan SM, Connolly J, Keaver L, Ryan L, Doherty R. Nutrition Strategies to Promote Sleep in Elite Athletes: A Scoping Review. Sports. 2025; 13(10):342. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13100342
Chicago/Turabian StyleRackard, Gavin, Sharon M. Madigan, James Connolly, Laura Keaver, Lisa Ryan, and Rónán Doherty. 2025. "Nutrition Strategies to Promote Sleep in Elite Athletes: A Scoping Review" Sports 13, no. 10: 342. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13100342
APA StyleRackard, G., Madigan, S. M., Connolly, J., Keaver, L., Ryan, L., & Doherty, R. (2025). Nutrition Strategies to Promote Sleep in Elite Athletes: A Scoping Review. Sports, 13(10), 342. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13100342