Sleep and Athletic Performance: A Multidimensional Review of Physiological and Molecular Mechanisms

Sleep is a fundamental biological process in athletes, indispensable for tissue regeneration, exercise adaptation, and injury prevention. Disruptions in sleep architecture and duration have been consistently associated with diminished physical performance and adverse health outcomes, impairing muscular strength, power output, and endurance capacity, and concurrently compromising cognitive function. On a physiological level, insufficient sleep disrupts endocrine homeostasis, elevating cortisol levels and reducing anabolic hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone. At the molecular level, sleep loss promotes the upregulation of pro-apoptotic gene expression and exacerbates pro-inflammatory signalling pathways. Optimal sleep duration and quality represent a critical "regenerative window", essential for enhancing athletic performance and safeguarding physiological resilience. Ensuring adequate sleep among athletes can be effectively achieved through educational, behavioural, and nutritional interventions outlined in this review.