Athletes at the 2024 Paris Olympics will sleep on cardboard bed frames for the second consecutive Summer Olympics.
Cardboard beds, which were first introduced at the Tokyo 2020 Games, are reportedly making a comeback as an environmentally friendly solution for the Olympic Village.
As shown in a video posted to the Olympics’ YouTube page, athletes can expand the bed to suit their physique and choose the firmness of their mattress.
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Olympic organisers said the sustainable beds, 100 per cent manufactured in France, will be fully recycled after the Games.
Dr Chris Winter, a Virginia-based neurologist who is a sleep advisor for Mattress Firm and a sleep consultant to major league sports teams in the US, responded to the sleep environment in an interview with Fox News Digital.
A general view of the cardboard beds used by athletes in the Olympic Village in Paris. (Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images)
“I wasn’t involved in France’s Olympic planning, but given that the overall theme of the Olympics is ‘more responsible, more inclusive, more equal’ I think cardboard beds tick those boxes,” he said.
“For an Olympic swimmer, weightlifter or gymnast, waking up with a sore or tight back can be disastrous.”
Winter noted that past Olympic Games have involved “a huge amount of waste”.
Not only are cardboard beds more economical, he said, but they’re also “much more environmentally friendly.”
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“Once the games are over, organizers won’t have to worry about what to do with thousands of real twin beds,” Winter says. “We think this will result in significant cost savings.”
Sharing a bed could give everyone a “performance advantage” when it comes to sleep, experts said.
U.S. gymnast Simon Biles yawns while preparing for her uneven bars routine at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics on July 30, 2024. One of the cardboard beds is visible at right. (Getty Images)
“The fact that it can easily break if jumped on or has a bunch of players in its bed is a positive indirect means of controlling behaviour,” he added.
“Plus, even if an over-zealous athlete were to throw it out the window, the damage and risk would be minimal.”
Potential health risks
Despite the benefits of cardboard solutions, Winter stressed that such construction could pose health risks to athletes.
“For an Olympic swimmer, weightlifter or gymnast, waking up with a sore or tight back can be devastating,” he said.
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“Lily King missed out on a breaststroke medal by a hundredth of a second,” Winter wrote. “Was it a cardboard bed? Absolutely.”
Lack of sleep can also affect an athlete’s psychology, the expert added.
The cardboard beds (one is shown here without sheets and covers) can be extended to even greater lengths to accommodate all the Olympians. (Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images)
Chafen Watkins Hart, M.D., a sleep specialist at National Jewish Health in Denver, Colorado, also agreed that proper sleep is important for athletes.
“Getting used to a new environment, including a new bed, has been difficult, especially given the jet lag and the intensity of the competition,” she told Fox News Digital.
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The mattresses are reportedly an improvement over those used in Tokyo, but Hart said they are still “very hard.”
“Generally, these materials can be washed and reused, which is the main reason why thousands of athletes in the village use them,” she said.
United States’ Ilona Maher (left) is chased by Brazil’s Gabriela Lima (right) during a women’s rugby match at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on July 28, 2024. (Carl de Souza/AFP via Getty Images)
For some athletes, a mattress that’s too firm could lead to muscle soreness, she warned, but on the other hand, some athletes may prefer firmness.
A Stanford University study found that going to bed after this time could lead to poorer mental health.
Hart noted that in addition to beds and mattresses, temperature and roommate considerations can also have a negative impact on an athlete’s sleep.
“There’s no air conditioning in the rooms, so a lot of the players are supplementing with their own portable air conditioners,” she said.
Sleep experts said that if athletes “don’t feel like they’re sleeping ‘properly’, it could have a negative impact.” (Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images)
“Sleeping in a hot and humid environment can disrupt your sleep and increase the number of awakenings. [during the night] … and the severity of insomnia.”
Many athletes are also randomly assigned to roommates with people who have different sleeping habits.
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“Night owls probably wouldn’t like sleeping with morning people,” Hart says.
“Or, someone who is used to sleeping in a quiet, dark space may have a hard time adjusting to a roommate who likes to play music or leave the lights on.”
According to the Olympics, the mattresses for Paris athletes can be flipped over to adjust firmness. (Gao Jing/Xinhua via Getty Images)
To get a good night’s sleep, Winter advised players to bring their own pillows and keep their rooms cool.
She also suggested bringing items that remind you of home, such as your partner’s pillowcase, your favorite nighttime tea, a stuffed animal, an eye mask or a poster.
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“Having a Paris apartment feel like home can be a big advantage,” he said.
Hart agrees, adding that familiar scents, soothing music and conversations with loved ones can help reduce anxiety about sleeping in an unfamiliar or uncomfortable place.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the International Olympic Committee for comment.
