Examination of Coaches’ Daytime Sleepiness Levels in Terms of Gender, Physical Activity Level and Waist Circumference

Abstract

Introduction and Aim: The aim of this study is to examine coaches’ daytime sleepiness levels in terms of gender, physical activity level and some anthropometric variables. Materials and Methods: Participants in the study were 330 coaches, 173 of whom were women, working in the branches of basketball, boxing, fitness, football, karate, kickboxing, taekwondo and volleyball in the Bağcılar district of Istanbul. The participants’ daytime sleepiness levels were determined with the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, whose Turkish validity and reliability study was conducted by İzci et al. (2008), while their physical activity levels were determined with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) short form, whose Turkish validity and reliability study was performed by Öztürk (2005). The participants’ anthropometric characteristics (body weight, height and waist circumference) were assessed on a self-report basis. Findings: Female coaches’ scores on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale were higher than those of male coaches (p < 0.05). In terms of physical activity level, male coaches’ IPAQ scores were higher than those of female coaches (p = 0.00). Waist circumferences and body mass indices (BMI) of male coaches were higher than those of female coaches (p = 0.00). No correlation was found between daytime sleepiness level and BMI (r = .066) or waist circumference (r = -.050) (p > 0.05). A significant negative correlation was found between physical activity level and daytime sleepiness level (r = -113, p < 0.05). Conclusion: The detection of a significant negative correlation between physical activity level and daytime sleepiness level indicates that physical activity is important for sleep health, which is similar to the literature. However, the fact that the study participants were young makes it difficult to explain the relationships between physical activity, gender, daytime sleepiness level and body composition. Repeating the study with middle-aged adults and older adults may produce different results