Review Article

Effect of Mindfulness Training on Quality of Sleep and Psychological Well-Being Among Athletes: A Review

Abstract

Athletes frequently experience sleep disturbances, and psychological well-being is compromised due to overtraining, heavy training schedules, stress, and competition anxiety. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Mindfulness-Acceptance-Commitment (MAC), and Mindful Sport Performance Enhancement (MSPE) have been increasingly applied in sports to regulate attention, reduce stress, and increase resilience. This review systematically synthesizes empirical evidence on improving athletes’ psychological well-being and sleep quality by incorporating mindfulness training. Electronic databases (Web of Science, PubMed, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, Scopus, and ResearchGate) were searched up to July 2025 in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. RCTs, quasi-experimental trials, pre-post designs, and systematic reviews examining mindfulness interventions among competitive athletes were included. Outcomes assessed included validated sleep and psychological well-being instruments. A total of 8 studies met the inclusion criteria. Research has consistently shown that mindfulness interventions enhance sleep efficiency, improve subjective sleep quality, and reduce pre-sleep arousal [1–3]. In addition to improvements in resilience, emotional regulation, and self-rated performance, psychological well-being outcomes showed notable decreases in anxiety, stress, rumination, and burnout [4–6]. Although heterogeneity and a lack of sleepfocused trials continue to be issues, recent meta-analyses [7, 8] confirmed moderate-to-large pooled effects for mental health outcomes. The integration of mindfulness training into sports psychology practice and athlete-care programs is supported by its strong potential to enhance athletes’ psychological health and sleep quality. Future research should focus on long-term follow-ups, sport-specific adaptations, and objective sleep assessments.