Research summary · Mental health
Sleep interventions and athletes' mood
A review explores whether changing sleep and circadian habits can support athletes' psychological well-being.
- Publication year
- 2026
- First published online
- Publication type
- Systematic review and meta-analysis
- Journal
- Sports Medicine
- Population / context
- Athletes · Multiple sports
What the publication reports
Across 21 studies involving 558 athletes, 13 full papers contributed to quantitative analyses and eight conference abstracts to narrative synthesis. Findings were most encouraging for positive affect, anxiety or tension, and vigour. Women represented 22.7% of participants.
Limits and interpretation
Small samples, weaker study designs, short follow-up and inconsistent mental-health measures restrict interpretation. Improvements in mood measures do not demonstrate effective treatment of a diagnosed mental illness.
Read the source
Consult the original record for the full author list, methods, references, funding and competing-interest disclosures.
Sleep and Circadian Interventions to Improve Athletes’ Mental Health, Mood and Well-Being: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Original publication / indexed recordPMID: 41591657DOI: 10.1007/s40279-025-02387-zFull text at the sourceReader discussion
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