Fox Health: Sleep doctors say Olympic athletes’ cardboard beds could have 'disastrous' impact

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Sleep doctors say Olympic athletes' cardboard beds could have 'disastrous' impact

Paris 2024 Olympic athletes are sleeping on environmentally friendly cardboard beds. Sleep experts address the repercussions this could have on competitors' physical and mental health....                        ...                        ...                            ...Athletes at the You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login are sleeping on cardboard bed frames for the second summer games in a row.......First introduced at Tokyo 2020, the cardboard beds have made a comeback as an You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login solution in the Olympic Village, according to reports.......The athletes can extend the beds to accommodate their size and can choose the firmness of the mattress, as shown in a video posted to the Olympics YouTube page.......You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login......The sustainable beds, which are 100% made in France, will be fully recycled after the games, Olympic organizers have said.......Virginia-based neurologist Dr. Chris Winter, a sleep adviser for Mattress Firm and a sleep consultant for major-league sports teams in the U.S., reacted to the sleeping arrangements in an interview with Fox News Digital......."I was not part of the French Olympic planning, but given the overall theme of the games as being 'more responsible, more inclusive and more equal,' I think the cardboard bed checks those boxes," he said.......Winter noted that past You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login have been associated with "tremendous amounts of waste."......The cardboard beds are not only more economical, but also "much easier on the environment," he said.......You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login......"When the games are over, organizers are not tasked with what to do with thousands of real twin beds," Winter said. "This creates significant cost savings, I imagine."......Having the same beds also gives everyone a "performance advantage" when it comes to sleep, the expert noted......."I'm sure the fact that they could more easily break if jumped on or if lots of athletes are on the bed is probably a plus, as an indirect way to control behavior," he added. ......"Plus, if an overzealous athlete throws theirs out the window, damage and risk is minimized."......While there are benefits to the cardboard solution, Winter stressed that these structures could pose some You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login for athletes......."For an Olympic swimmer, weightlifter or gymnast to awaken with a tweak or catch in their back could be disastrous," he said.......You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login......"Lilly King missed a breaststroke medal by 1/100th of a second," Winter noted. "Could a cardboard bed be to blame? Without a doubt," he said, expressing his opinion.......A poor night's sleep can even You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login, the expert added.......Chafen Watkins Hart, M.D., sleep specialist at National Jewish Health in Denver, Colorado, also weighed in on the importance of You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login for athletes......."Getting used to a new environment, including a new bed, is daunting, especially with jet lag and the intensity of athletic competition," she told Fox News Digital.......You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login......Although the mattresses reportedly have been improved from the ones used in Tokyo, they are still "very firm," according to Hart......."In general, it appears that the materials are washable and reusable, which is the primary reason they are being employed for thousands of athletes in the village," she said. ......For some athletes, a mattress that is too firm can cause muscle soreness, she cautioned, while others may prefer firmness.......You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login......Beyond the bed and mattress, Hart also noted that temperature and roommate considerations can also adversely affect athletes' sleep......."The rooms do not have air conditioning, and many athletes are supplementing with their own portable units," she said. ......"Sleeping in a hot, humid environment can be really disruptive and can increase the number of arousals [during the night] ... and You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login."......Many athletes may also get a random roommate assignment with someone who has different sleep habits.......You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login......"Someone You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login will not love bunking with an early bird," Hart said. ......"Or someone used to sleeping in a silent, dark space may have trouble adjusting to a roommate who likes to play music and keep a light on."......For a good night's sleep, Winter advised athletes to bring their own pillows and attempt to keep the room cool.......He also suggested bringing items that remind them of home, such as a partner's pillowcase, favorite nighttime tea, stuffed animals, sleep masks or posters......."Getting that Parisian apartment to feel like home can be a great advantage," he said.......Hart agreed, adding that familiar scents, calming music and chats with loved ones can help You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login about sleeping in a strange or uncomfortable place.......Fox News Digital reached out to the International Olympic Committee for comment....

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