The Role of Sleep Quality and Exercise Delay on Perceived Improvement in Tennis Players

Abstract

This study examined bedtime procrastination, exercise procrastination, and perceived psychological recovery among tennis players, while also considering variations according to demographic and training characteristics. A quantitative, cross-sectional correlational survey was conducted with 214 volunteer licensed tennis players aged 18–35 years who had at least one year of sporting experience. Data were obtained using an exercise procrastination measure, a bedtime procrastination measure, and a psychological recovery measure, together with a demographic questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, independent-samples t tests, one-way analyses of variance, Tukey post-hoc comparisons, and Pearson correlations were reported. The findings showed no statistically significant differences by gender on the measured scale scores. Age-group comparisons indicated differences in exercise procrastination and its time, motivation, and anxiety components, whereas bedtime procrastination and perceived psychological recovery did not significantly differ by age. Athletes with doctoral qualifications reported higher psychological recovery scores than participants with associate or bachelor’s degrees, although these results were based on a small doctoral subgroup. Athletes training only once a week recorded higher exercise procrastination scores than those training more frequently; perceived recovery and bedtime procrastination did not significantly differ according to training frequency. The reported correlation between exercise procrastination and bedtime procrastination was positive and strong (r = 0.88), although the manuscript does not provide the associated significance test or the complete correlation matrix. Overall, the study identified associations between exercise procrastination and demographic or training characteristics, together with a notable reported association between exercise and bedtime procrastination. Because the design was cross-sectional and based on self-report, causal effects and changes in objective sleep quality or athletic performance cannot be inferred. The findings may inform further studies of self-regulation and recovery-related perceptions among tennis players.