The Impact of Sleep Quality and Duration
on Athletic Performance
A Comprehensive Systematic Review of
Primary Research
Saiful Islam
11/04/25
A dissertation thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the
requirements of Birmingham City University for the degree
of BSc
Author’s Declaration
,I declare that the work contained in this dissertation has not been submitted for any other award
and that it is all my own work. I also confirm that this work fully acknowledges opinions, ideas
and contributions from the work of others.
Any ethical clearance for the research presented in this thesis has been approved and granted by
the Faculty Academic Ethics Committee.
I declare that the word count of this thesis is 4500 words
Name: Saiful Islam
, Abstract
This systematic literature review explores the impact of sleep quality and duration on
athletic performance by synthesizing findings from six primary research studies: Hamlin
et al. (2021), Sim et al. (2023), Doherty et al. (2021), Kosticova et al. (2024), Arezomand
et al. (2024), and Tsukahara et al. (2023). The review aimed to assess how sleep
influences athletic performance, recovery, and cognitive function. The studies collectively
identified key sleep factors, including sleep quality, duration, and circadian rhythms,
which significantly impact athletic performance. Inadequate sleep, particularly sleep
deprivation, was found to negatively affect both physical and mental performance,
emphasizing the crucial role of optimal sleep for maximizing athletic output.
Additionally, variations in sleep needs and performance outcomes were observed across
different athlete populations, with differences linked to sport type, gender, and
chronotype. This highlights the importance of personalized sleep strategies tailored to
individual athletes.
The review also evaluated the methodological quality of the included studies, noting
strengths such as large sample sizes in some studies, but also identifying limitations such
as heterogeneity in study designs, small sample sizes, and a lack of focus on female
athletes. The review concludes that while current research provides valuable insights,
several gaps remain, especially regarding the long-term effects of sleep deprivation,
gender-specific sleep needs, and optimal sleep timing for athletes. Future research should
address these gaps to develop more effective sleep strategies that enhance athletic
performance and recovery across diverse athlete populations.
, Table of Contents
Abstract...........................................................................................................................................3
Introduction....................................................................................................................................5
Background.................................................................................................................................6
Rationale.....................................................................................................................................8
Purpose.......................................................................................................................................8
Methodology...................................................................................................................................9
Information Sources and Search Strategy...................................................................................9
Study Selection and Data Collection Processes...........................................................................9
Boolean Operators................................................................................................................10
Search Timeline.....................................................................................................................10
Eligibility Criteria.......................................................................................................................10
Inclusion Criteria...................................................................................................................10
Exclusion Criteria...................................................................................................................11
Quality Assessment...................................................................................................................11
Synthesis Methods....................................................................................................................12
Results...........................................................................................................................................13
Selection Process.......................................................................................................................13
Study Characteristics.................................................................................................................13
Quality Assessment: Cochrane Risk of Bias...............................................................................14
Key Findings..............................................................................................................................15
Discussion......................................................................................................................................17
Interpretations of Key Findings.................................................................................................17
Identifying Key Sleep Factors that Influence Performance....................................................17
Exploring Variations Across Sports and Athlete Populations.................................................19
Strengths and Limitations..........................................................................................................20
Future Research and Implications.............................................................................................21
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................23
References....................................................................................................................................24
Selected Articles........................................................................................................................24
Other References......................................................................................................................25
Appendices....................................................................................................................................32
on Athletic Performance
A Comprehensive Systematic Review of
Primary Research
Saiful Islam
11/04/25
A dissertation thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the
requirements of Birmingham City University for the degree
of BSc
Author’s Declaration
,I declare that the work contained in this dissertation has not been submitted for any other award
and that it is all my own work. I also confirm that this work fully acknowledges opinions, ideas
and contributions from the work of others.
Any ethical clearance for the research presented in this thesis has been approved and granted by
the Faculty Academic Ethics Committee.
I declare that the word count of this thesis is 4500 words
Name: Saiful Islam
, Abstract
This systematic literature review explores the impact of sleep quality and duration on
athletic performance by synthesizing findings from six primary research studies: Hamlin
et al. (2021), Sim et al. (2023), Doherty et al. (2021), Kosticova et al. (2024), Arezomand
et al. (2024), and Tsukahara et al. (2023). The review aimed to assess how sleep
influences athletic performance, recovery, and cognitive function. The studies collectively
identified key sleep factors, including sleep quality, duration, and circadian rhythms,
which significantly impact athletic performance. Inadequate sleep, particularly sleep
deprivation, was found to negatively affect both physical and mental performance,
emphasizing the crucial role of optimal sleep for maximizing athletic output.
Additionally, variations in sleep needs and performance outcomes were observed across
different athlete populations, with differences linked to sport type, gender, and
chronotype. This highlights the importance of personalized sleep strategies tailored to
individual athletes.
The review also evaluated the methodological quality of the included studies, noting
strengths such as large sample sizes in some studies, but also identifying limitations such
as heterogeneity in study designs, small sample sizes, and a lack of focus on female
athletes. The review concludes that while current research provides valuable insights,
several gaps remain, especially regarding the long-term effects of sleep deprivation,
gender-specific sleep needs, and optimal sleep timing for athletes. Future research should
address these gaps to develop more effective sleep strategies that enhance athletic
performance and recovery across diverse athlete populations.
, Table of Contents
Abstract...........................................................................................................................................3
Introduction....................................................................................................................................5
Background.................................................................................................................................6
Rationale.....................................................................................................................................8
Purpose.......................................................................................................................................8
Methodology...................................................................................................................................9
Information Sources and Search Strategy...................................................................................9
Study Selection and Data Collection Processes...........................................................................9
Boolean Operators................................................................................................................10
Search Timeline.....................................................................................................................10
Eligibility Criteria.......................................................................................................................10
Inclusion Criteria...................................................................................................................10
Exclusion Criteria...................................................................................................................11
Quality Assessment...................................................................................................................11
Synthesis Methods....................................................................................................................12
Results...........................................................................................................................................13
Selection Process.......................................................................................................................13
Study Characteristics.................................................................................................................13
Quality Assessment: Cochrane Risk of Bias...............................................................................14
Key Findings..............................................................................................................................15
Discussion......................................................................................................................................17
Interpretations of Key Findings.................................................................................................17
Identifying Key Sleep Factors that Influence Performance....................................................17
Exploring Variations Across Sports and Athlete Populations.................................................19
Strengths and Limitations..........................................................................................................20
Future Research and Implications.............................................................................................21
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................23
References....................................................................................................................................24
Selected Articles........................................................................................................................24
Other References......................................................................................................................25
Appendices....................................................................................................................................32
