Povezanost spanja, stresa in delovne zavzetosti pri vrhunskih rokometaših

slovenian

2025

volume 73, issue 3/4

research   sleep   sports   sports management

Univerza v Ljubljani, Fakulteta za šport
(Obvezni izvod spletne publikacije)

Elite handball players are frequently exposed to high physical and psychological demands, which can affect their recovery, physi-cal performance, and work engagement. The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between sleep quality, stress, and engagement, based on the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) model and the Effort–Recovery (ER) model. Over a 60-day period, we monitored 39 professional handball players (20 men, 19 women) using both objective (Oura ring) and subjective sleep assess-ments. The results showed that sleep onset latency was the only statistically significant mediator in the relationship between stress and engagement athletes who fell asleep more quickly maintained higher engagement despite elevated stress levels. Subjectively, athletes reported better sleep quality after matches, while objective measurements revealed lower sleep efficiency during those nights. These findings highlight the importance of high-quality sleep particularly shorter time to sleep onset as a protective factor for psychological readiness and sustained athletic performance.

17.03.2026