A sports physiologist with extensive experience in high-performance environments, Professor Matt Driller’s research focuses on the intersection of sleep, recovery, and performance in elite athletes.
“Sleep is a critical but often overlooked component of recovery and performance,” he explains. “Many athletes struggle to achieve sufficient sleep due to physiological, psychological and environmental demands.”
“While there is a considerable body of research describing how athletes sleep, far less is known about the specific challenges they face and, critically, what we can do about them. My research focuses on identifying those challenges and designing and trialling interventions to improve sleep in this unique population.”
Until recently, progress in this area was limited by a lack of practical tools to assess sleep in real-world sporting environments. However, advances in wearable technology have been a gamechanger.
“This technology has allowed us to collect data with minimal disruption to athletes, opening new opportunities to better understand and optimise sleep in high-performance settings,” he explains.
“My research aims to translate these insights into practical strategies that improve sleep, recovery, performance and overall wellbeing in athletes.”
Looking ahead, Professor Driller says there is still so much to do in this space.
“I am particularly interested in investigating the roles of light and temperature in shaping sleep. I also have a developing interest in the prevalence and treatment of sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, in athletes.”
