Sleep is increasingly recognised as one of the most powerful yet underused tools in high-performance sport. World Aquatics' new webinar series puts it in the spotlight - and the first session, Understanding Sleep and Circadian Rhythm, brought together the global aquatics community to explore how optimising sleep can enhance performance, recovery and wellbeing.

The audience reflected the breadth of interest in the topic with attendees including athletes (28%), coaches (38%), support staff (21%) and parents and guardians (13%).

Deepening the understanding of sleep

The webinar brought together world-renowned sleep specialist Dr Kirstie Anderson, as well as Olympic Artistic Swimming medallist Ona Carbonell and Artistic Swimming World Champion Giorgio Minisini to explore the science of sleep and its direct link to performance.

Attendees examined the different stages of sleep - including REM and non-REM - and how each supports recovery, cognitive function and emotional balance. The session also visited circadian rhythms and homeostatic sleep pressure, highlighting how both timing and consistency play a crucial role in optimising sleep.

Dr Kirstie Anderson explained:

“Athletes are already doing so much so well - the dedication, the discipline, the attention to detail is extraordinary. Sleep is often the piece that helps to tie everything together, and what's encouraging is that you don't need to overhaul everything to see a difference. Small, consistent changes to how people approach their sleep can have a real impact on how they feel and perform day to day.”
By Dr Kirstie Anderson

Managing real-world challenges

A key focus of the discussion was how everyday factors can disrupt sleep, particularly for athletes operating in high-performance environments.

Travel across time zones remains one of the most significant challenges, often leading to misalignment between the body’s internal clock and competition demands. Alongside this, participants explored common lifestyle factors that influence sleep, including:

  • Screen use before bedtime
  • The role of naps in recovery
  • The impact of caffeine and diet on sleep quality

The session emphasised that while these challenges are common, they are also manageable with the right awareness and routines.

Reflecting on the importance of recovery, Ona Carbonell shared:

“Sleep is one of those things that sounds straightforward but takes real commitment to get right, especially with everything that comes with competing at this level. For me it gradually became a natural part of my routine as any other preparation. I think as athletes we sometimes feel that more is always better - more training, more hours, more effort. And yes, time in the water is important. But recovery is where you get stronger and sleep is the foundation of that.”
By Ona Carbonell

For Giorgio Minisini, the role of sleep in performance cannot be overstated:

“When your sleep is poor, it might be that the subtle things feel off in training - your spatial awareness drops slightly for example, or your ability to self-correct mid-routine diminishes. Having that repeatedly will ultimately make a huge difference to performance during competition, so sleep is really key!”
By Giorgio Minisini

A shared focus on performance and wellbeing

Across all discussions, one message remained clear: sleep is an active contributor to success.

From elite athletes to coaches, parents and support staff, the responsibility for improving sleep habits is shared - and the benefits extend far beyond performance, supporting overall health and wellbeing.

Looking ahead

The webinar series will continue to explore athlete wellbeing, with the next session on 1 June 2026 focusing on sleep challenges in elite sport, including risks, solutions and tracking methods.

As awareness grows, so too does the opportunity for the aquatics community to make meaningful, lasting improvements.