The Role of Sleep on Physical and Cognitive Performance of Ultra-Endurance Athletes: A Systematic Review

TL;DR

This review explores how sleep affects physical and mental performance in ultra-endurance athletes, finding that sleep quantity and timing can influence outcomes.

Contribution

The study systematically reviews the specific role of sleep in ultra-endurance performance, highlighting non-linear relationships and individual strategies.

Findings

Better physical performance was linked to less sleep during competition and extended sleep the night before.

Cognitive performance improved with pre-race sleep quality and mid-race naps.

Longer wake time and lower sleep quality were associated with poorer performance outcomes.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Sleep is an important factor for recovery and performance in endurance sports, yet its role in ultra-endurance events remains unclear due to extreme physical and cognitive demands and disrupted sleep patterns. This systematic review aimed to analyze the role of sleep in physical and cognitive performance in ultra-endurance athletes. Methods: This systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines. A comprehensive search was conducted in May 2025 across PubMed/Medline, Embase, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science. Two researchers independently screened, selected, extracted, and assessed data quality using the JBI tools (PROSPERO ID: CRD420251042220). Results: Of 424 articles, 16 met inclusion criteria, totaling data from 1389 athletes. Regarding physical performance, better outcomes were associated with no or less sleep during competition (TST), extended sleep the night before, and increased time in light sleep. In contrast, longer wake time, lower sleep quality, greater sleepiness during competition, and higher sleep efficiency were linked to poorer performance. Cognitive performance was positively associated with pre-race sleep quality and mid-race naps. Conversely, greater accumulated sleep before testing was linked to worse cognitive outcomes. Conclusions: Sleep, particularly total sleep time (TST), plays an important role in ultra-endurance performance, although this relationship may be non-linear and influenced by race context and individual strategies. Pre-race and intra-race sleep strategies such as napping and extended sleep may benefit performance. Further rigorous and longitudinal studies are needed to clarify sleep’s impact on performance and recovery in ultra-endurance contexts.

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