A Good Night’s Sleep Will Help Your Golf Game

Researchers are reporting that when treating cases of sleep apnea, golfers have reported as much as a three stroke improvement in their game.

Golfers with the nighttime breathing disorder obstructive sleep apnea can improve their scores by treating their problem, according to study findings presented this week at the CHEST 2009 meeting in San Diego, California.

After a few months of using a night-time device that provides nasal positive airway pressure (NPAP)—a treatment that has been shown effective for curbing sleep apnea—a dozen golfers saw their average handicap fall significantly from 12.4 to 11.0. The effect was even more pronounced in better golfers (handicap <12), whose average handicap dropped from 9.2 to 6.3.

DUH.

Consistently getting a good night’s sleep makes virtually everything better. Students who get a good night’s sleep do better on tests. Athletes perform better. Depression eases. Auto accident rates decrease. Sex is improved.

I’m wondering how much taxpayer money went to pay for this pearl of wisdom.

1 thought on “A Good Night’s Sleep Will Help Your Golf Game”

  1. No taxpayer money was spent, as this small study was self-funded.  Common sense might dictate that many things would improve with better sleep, and that is largely true.  However, demonstrating (in a scientific fashion) that to be true is somewhat different than simply assuming it to be the case.  The DUH might be better applied wondering why so many people who know that they have sleep apnea, which can have devastating impact in its more severe forms, refuse or are non-compliant with treatment.  In the case of this study, all 12 participants were very highly compliant with treatment, probably in large part because they thought that they might lower their handicap.  That concept could lead to pearls of wisdom that might improve treatment adherence for some people with chronic medical problems who might otherwise be impossible to treat.

    Reply

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