Research summary · Sport psychology
Former gymnasts describe sleep and mental-health challenges around retirement
Thirteen former female gymnasts participated in individual interviews about sleep and mental health after leaving sport. Reflexive thematic analysis explored how sporting experiences, lifestyle changes and available support shaped their transitions.
- Publication year
- 2026
- First published online
- Publication type
- Qualitative semistructured interview study
- Journal
- Psychology of Sport and Exercise
- Population / context
- Women's gymnastics · Retirement and transition support
What the publication reports
Themes included harmful coach–athlete relationships, abrupt changes in identity and daily routines, gaps in education and support, and opportunities for improvement. Participants' accounts suggest that retirement support needs to consider sleep and broader life adjustment, not only sporting identity.
Limits and interpretation
Retrospective accounts from a small qualitative sample cannot estimate how common these experiences are or establish causal effects. The research did not objectively measure sleep or test transition interventions; suggested support practices require further evaluation.
Read the source
Consult the original record for the full author list, methods, references, funding and competing-interest disclosures.
The impact of sport retirement on mental health and sleep: A qualitative study with female ex-gymnasts
Original publication / indexed recordPMID: 41628683DOI: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2026.103085Full text at the sourceReader discussion
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