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In May 2025, we ran a nationwide sleep survey with LGFA players as part of our ongoing partnership with the Ladies Gaelic Football Association. One key question we asked was simple but revealing:
"How important do you believe sleep is to your overall performance and well-being?" They rated it on a scale of 1 to 5:
1 = Very important | 5 = Not important.
The good news is that 70% of players recognise sleep as either very important or important to their performance and well-being. That shows a strong general awareness of sleep's role in recovery, focus, and injury prevention.
On the flip side, 1 in 5 players (20%) rated sleep as "not important." That's a significant number of athletes who may be underestimating a crucial part of their physical and mental routine.
It's also worth noting that only 3% gave a neutral score of 3. Most players felt strongly either way. While the majority understands the value of rest, a sizable minority may not yet realise how much sleep influences their performance.
These results are promising, but not perfect. With 20% of players not prioritising sleep, there's a clear need for more education and support.
As the Official Sleep Partner of the LGFA, we believe sleep is just as important as strength training, nutrition, and hydration. Whether it's getting consistent 8-hour nights or building better pre-bed routines, small changes can make a big difference, on and off the pitch.
This isn't just an issue for elite athletes. Whether you're managing a team or managing a toddler, the science of sleep applies to all of us.
Even a small sleep deficit has measurable effects on your body and brain. Research shows that:
If you're skipping sleep to "power through," you're actually slowing yourself down.
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and the National Sleep Foundation:
If you're not getting at least 7 hours regularly, it's affecting you — whether you notice it or not.
You don't have to overhaul your entire life. Small, consistent changes can improve both sleep quality and duration:
Sleep helps you recover after a hard day. It also powers you up before one. One LGFA player said it best:
"Sleep is a main factor that allows you to play at your best."
This mindset applies to everyone: Whether you're a goalkeeper, a groundskeeper, or a parent of three, sleep helps you focus, move well, and make better decisions.
The players who ranked sleep highly get it. The ones who didn't? They're not alone. They're juggling late-night training, early starts, travel, work, school, nerves — everything in between.
That's why we ran this study: to better understand what real sleep looks like for real athletes. And to use those insights to support not just LGFA players, but the broader community of individuals who push their bodies and minds every day.
DFI Beds is proud to be the Official Sleep Partner of the LGFA.
We're working together to raise awareness about the role of sleep in sport, performance and everyday life. For more tips, sleep routines, and insights from the LGFA x DFI campaign, visit our LGFA Partnership section on our Blog.