More sleep means higher scores

Minneapolis -- A U.S. study says extra sleep may give athletes a competitive edge.

The study, presented at the 21st Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, said extra sleep was associated with improvements in athletic performance and mood among members of Stanford University's men's basketball team.

Stanford researcher Cheri Mah said six members of the basketball team maintained their typical sleep-wake patterns for two weeks, followed by an extended sleep period in which they obtained as much extra sleep as possible.

The athletes showed significant improvement in athletic performance, including faster sprint times, the study said.

Athletes also reported increased energy and improved mood during practices and games, as well as a decreased level of fatigue, the APSS said in a release.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International.