Sleep Disturbances and Sports Injury Risk: A Narrative Review
Abstract
Background. Sleep is a fundamental physiological process that supports recovery, cognitive function and the proper functioning of the neuromuscular system. Growing scientific evidence indicates that sleep disturbances, including insufficient sleep duration and poor sleep quality, are associated with an increased risk of sports injury.Aim. The aim of this narrative review was to summarize and synthesize the current evidence regarding the relationship between sleep disturbances and sports injury risk, with particular emphasis on physiological, neurocognitive and training-related mechanisms.Material and methods. The narrative review was based on an analysis of 28 peer-reviewed studies identified through searches of the PubMed and Google Scholar databases. The included literature comprised systematic reviews, meta-analyses, cohort studies and cross-sectional studies examining associations between sleep parameters and the risk of sports injuries among athletes across different sports and age groups.Results. The reviewed evidence indicates that sleep disturbances, such as reduced sleep duration and poor sleep quality, are associated with an increased risk of sports injuries in a wide range of athletic settings. From a physiological perspective, sleep disruption is linked to impaired neuromuscular control, decreased reaction time, altered hormonal regulation, and reduced recovery capacity. Furthermore, studies suggest that sleep interacts with training load, psychological stress and fatigue, which may contribute to cumulative injury risk.Conclusions. Sleep plays an important role in injury prevention in athletic populations. The available evidence suggests that regular sleep assessment and the promotion of healthy sleep habits may represent valuable components of comprehensive athlete health management aimed at optimizing recovery and reducing injury risk. Sleep should be considered an integral component of athlete recovery and injury prevention strategies.