Running on little sleep? You're twice as likely to get hurt

"A new study led by Professor Jan de Jonge, a work and sports psychologist at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands (and Adjunct Professor at the University of South Australia), found that insufficient and poor-quality sleep significantly increases the chance of getting hurt while running. In a survey of 425 recreational runners, the researchers discovered that participants who reported shorter sleep duration, lower sleep quality, or frequent sleep problems were almost twice as likely to experience an injury compared to those who slept well."

"The results, published in Applied Sciences, provide what Prof de Jonge calls "compelling evidence that sleep is a critical yet often overlooked component of injury prevention." "While runners specifically focus on mileage, nutrition and recovery strategies, sleep tends to fall to the bottom of the list," he explains. "Our research shows that poor sleepers were 1.78 times more likely to report injuries than those with stable, good quality sleep, with a 68% likelihood"

"Millions of runners may be unknowingly increasing their risk of injury by cutting corners on sleep. Researchers found that runners who sleep poorly face nearly double the injury risk compared to those who rest well. The study highlights that sleep is not just recovery-it's a key factor in preventing injuries. They stress that runners should prioritize rest alongside training. Simple habits like consistent bedtimes and limiting screens can make a big difference."

Poor-quality or insufficient sleep significantly increases injury risk for recreational runners. In a survey of 425 recreational runners, those reporting shorter sleep duration, lower sleep quality, or frequent sleep problems were nearly twice as likely to experience injury compared to well-rested runners. Poor sleepers showed 1.78 times higher odds of reporting injuries than runners with stable, good-quality sleep. Prioritizing sleep alongside mileage, nutrition and recovery can reduce injury risk. Simple habits such as consistent bedtimes and limiting screen time before sleep improve sleep quality and may substantially lower the likelihood of running-related injuries.

Read at ScienceDaily