Early practice time means worse sleep for college athletes

By Aaron Spivey

This article is featured in the February print edition of the Sower newspaper. 

Early morning practices are common in college athletics, including at Concordia University, and research suggests those schedules are associated with changes in student athletes’ sleep patterns.

A study published in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research analyzed 27,576 nights of sleep from 359 NCAA varsity athletes across 15 teams at The Ohio State University. Using wearable technology, researchers compared sleep before early morning practices—defined as those beginning at or before 8 a.m.—with sleep recorded before later morning or afternoon workouts.

The study found that athletes scheduled for early practices slept fewer minutes on average than those with later start times. Male athletes averaged approximately 30 fewer minutes of sleep before early practices, while female athletes averaged about 20 fewer minutes.

Researchers also found athletes took longer to fall asleep prior to early practices, and male athletes experienced lower sleep efficiency overall.

At Concordia, athletes and coaches said early practice times often require significant adjustments to daily routines, particularly during the academic year. Practice start times at Concordia vary by sport and season.

Concordia football coach Patrick Daberkow said early practice schedules can affect athletes’ rest, though he emphasized that sleep habits are influenced by multiple factors. “A lot of these guys are up late doing schoolwork or social stuff, and then they’re trying to come in at 6 or 7 in the morning — they’re just not getting the rest they need,” Daberkow said. “So it’s a mix of scheduling and lifestyle.”

Kylahn Freiberg. Photo: Concordia Athletics.

Daberkow added that the coaching staff encourages rest during travel and competition, but enforcing consistent sleep routines can be difficult once athletes leave structured team environments.

Concordia cross country and track coach Matt Beisel said he has observed fatigue among athletes during early sessions, particularly during periods of increased training volume or academic demands. He said some athletes appear to warm up more slowly or to be less focused during morning practices than during later sessions.

“Balancing training, classes, and recovery is always a concern,” Beisel said. “Sleep plays a role in how prepared athletes are when they arrive at practice.”

Former Concordia cross country runner and graduate Kylahn Freiberg said sleep consistency influenced how she felt during training. She said that getting eight to nine hours of sleep was associated with higher energy levels and better focus, while inconsistent sleep was associated with increased fatigue.

“When my sleep schedule was consistent, I felt sharper and more prepared at training,” Freiberg said.

Lance Kiango. Photo: Concordia Athletics.

Current Concordia soccer player Lance Kiango said early morning practices required him to adjust his routine, including going to bed earlier. He said he wakes up at 5:30 a.m. for 6 a.m. practices and plans his coursework around that schedule.

“By the time evening came, I had already completed schoolwork and practice, so I could relax knowing the day was productive,” Kiango said.

Across multiple sports, the study’s findings indicate that early practice start times are consistently associated with shorter sleep duration, longer time needed to fall asleep, and reduced sleep efficiency among collegiate athletes.