Educational Intervention for Sleep Hygiene and Muscle Recovery in Youth Volleyball Players

Resumen

Foundation: Sleep, as a physiological process, can be addressed pedagogically and clinically; it constitutes a passive factor in sports performance, being systematically integrated as part of the sports training management process.

Objective: To analyze the effects of an educational program for youth volleyball players on sleep hygiene and muscle recovery.

Methods: A quasi-experimental study with a sample of 50 male volleyball players (n = 25 per group), using validated instruments (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Total Quality Recovery Scale) after eight weeks of intervention, which included educational sessions, sleep hygiene routines, and post-training muscle recovery strategies.

Results: Intragroup analysis showed that the experimental group presented significant improvements, reducing central tendency measures from 6.4/6.0 to 4.8/5.0 (Z = −3.21; p = 0.001) in the PSQI, while the control group showed no changes (p = 0.263). Intergroup analysis revealed no significant differences in the pretest, confirming initial homogeneity. However, in the posttest, notable differences were identified in favor of the experimental group (U = 187.0; Z = −2.89; p = 0.004). Regarding the TQR, the experimental group improved significantly, from moderate to good recovery (12.6/13.0 → 16.1/16.0; Z = −3.45; p < 0.001), while the control group showed a slight non-significant increase (p = 0.311). Additionally, intergroup analysis confirmed significant posttest differences in favor of the experimental group (U = 162.0; Z = −3.18; p = 0.001). Conclusions: It is confirmed that a structured educational intervention program for sleep hygiene and muscle recovery, can be an effective strategy to improve sleep quality and perceived recovery in youth volleyball players.