Sleep Problems in Professional Dancers
Author Information
Author(s): Astrid Junge, Rogier M. van Rijn, Janine H. Stubbe, Anja Hauschild
Primary Institution: MSH Medical School Hamburg
Hypothesis
The extent of sleep problems correlates with health problems and workload.
Conclusion
Sleep problems are frequent in professional dancers and related to their physical and mental health and workload.
Supporting Evidence
- 53% of dancers reported sleep problems at the beginning of the season.
- 68.8% average weekly prevalence of poor sleep during the season.
- Symptoms of depression were significant determinants of sleep problems.
- Sleep problems were related to physical and mental workload.
Takeaway
Many professional dancers have trouble sleeping, and this can be linked to how they feel physically and mentally, as well as how much work they have.
Methodology
Dancers completed a baseline questionnaire and weekly health reports over the season, assessing sleep problems and health status.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in self-reported health questions due to stigma or denial.
Limitations
Some responses may be biased due to stigma or fear of consequences; the analysis of sleep problems was based on self-reported ratings rather than established questionnaires.
Participant Demographics
147 professional dancers from six German companies, average age 27.1 years, 55.1% female.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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