Olympic Athletes Sleep on Cardboard Beds: Sleep Experts Assess How It Could Affect Their Performance

It’s been a number of days because the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. Despite that, we’ve already witnessed some incredible competition wins, like Simone Biles leading the U.S. gymnastics team to victory, taking home the gold medal. Biles won gold within the all-around, becoming the primary American gymnast to win twice. But despite the inspiring victories, rumors have been circulating about how our favourite Olympic champions are preparing for the competition within the Olympic Village, complete with cardboard beds.

The Olympic Village is situated 4.3 miles north of central Paris, stretching between the suburbs of Saint-Denis, Saint-Denis and Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine. It was designed to deal with 14,000 athletes for somewhat over two weeks. While there are grocery stores and a laundry on site, there are not any blackout curtains or comfortable beds, hence the controversy over the cardboard beds provided to the world’s most elite athletes. Tennis star Coco Gauff was one in all the primary athletes to show living conditions within the Olympic Village in a TikTok video that later went viral.

Her footage showed a cramped apartment stuffed with several athletes attempting to prepare for the day, with pop-up hair stations, cardboard beds and garments all over the place, including their boat trip on the Seine. The caption for the video read: “10 girls, two bathrooms. #olympicvillage.”

After submitting the video, Gauff decided to remain at a close-by hotel as a substitute of the Olympic Village. We can only hope the hotel is more comfortable for her. As you would possibly imagine, your sleeping environment, including your bed, is vital for getting night’s sleep. Dr. Faith Pérez McGowan, a licensed psychologist and sleep expert, agrees. “Your bedroom environment, including your mattress, is very important for sleep,” she says. McGowan continues, “While a bad mattress can affect performance, Olympic athletes have likely trained their bodies to perform in several different conditions. If possible, I would recommend that they bring sheets or a mattress topper to help with the softness of their mattress. Using sheets/pillows can also provide comfort and familiarity with your typical sleeping environment.”

Some Olympians have invested in mattress toppers. But we still wonder if that made a difference. Dr. Angela Holliday-Bell, a board-certified physician, certified sleep specialist, speaker, and founding father of The Solution Is Sleep LLC, suggests that cardboard beds aren’t ideal, despite the added filling. “Good quality sleep improves speed, accuracy, muscle strength, and endurance, while sleep deprivation leads to impaired thinking, slowed reaction times, decreased concentration, and decreased attention, all of which are necessary to perform and compete at an optimal level. Sleeping on cardboard mattresses can impact sleep quality, leading to other effects. For optimal athletic performance, a proper sleep environment that supports sleep quality is essential, including a comfortable and supportive mattress and a dark, quiet, and cool room,” she says.

However, Dr. Funke Brown, a triple-board certified sleep physician, has a special perspective on cardboard beds. “The use of cardboard beds by Olympic athletes is an interesting development. A good sleep environment includes an optimal sleeping surface and may have an impact on sleep quality. Although cardboard beds may seem unusual, their impact on sleep and performance will depend on how they are designed and constructed,” he says.

He believes that Olympians who focus on healthy sleep habits will perform at their best.

According to Dr. Brown, listed here are some things to think about when selecting cardboard beds:

What is the support and luxury like? While a firm sleeping surface is mostly preferred, a cardboard box can affect spinal alignment and pressure points. If cardboard beds are well-designed and supply adequate support, they’re unlikely to significantly impede performance. In situations where a firm surface is uncomfortable, a mattress topper might help.

How durable and stable are they? The beds should give you the option to face up to the burden and movements of the athletes. If there isn’t a proper reinforcement, this may turn into an issue.

What is the psychological impact? Sleeping in latest surroundings and on an unusual bed surface may initially cause anxiety or discomfort for athletes, which could have a short-term impact on their sleep.

Are there other environmental aspects? Other elements of your sleep environment, comparable to room temperature, noise levels, and light-weight exposure, could have a greater impact on sleep quality than the bed material itself.

Here are a few of Dr. Funke’s favorite mattresses:

Memory foam mattresses conform to the form of your body, providing excellent support and pressure relief.

Hybrid mattresses: These are a mixture of spring and foam layers that provide each support and luxury.

Latex mattresses: Known for his or her durability and responsiveness, they mix natural and artificial. They might be good for athletes who change positions incessantly during sleep.