The Association Between Sleep Duration and Sports Injury Risk in Athletes: A Structured Litterature Review and Meta-Analysis

1.1. Background Sleep is important for over-all athletic performance, and insufficient sleep may increase the risk of sports injuries, but the evidence base remains limited and heterogeneous. 1.2. Objective This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the association between sleep duration and injury risk in athletes. 1.3. Methods A systematic literature search identified nine observational studies including 1,078 athletes. Pooled odds ratios (OR) were calculated using a random-effects model. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on age group, sport type, sleep assessment frequency, and sleep modelling approach. 1.4. Results Shorter sleep duration was significantly associated with higher injury risk (OR = 1.34, 95% CI 1.08–1.66; p = 0.007). Substantial heterogeneity was observed (I² = 85.6%), but no statistically significant subgroup differences were found. 1.5. Conclusions The findings suggest that insufficient sleep may impair both physiological recovery and cognitive processes important for injury prevention. However, results should be interpreted with caution due to methodological variability. Promoting adequate sleep should be considered an integral part of athlete health and injury prevention strategies, and future research should clarify how sleep interventions can be effectively implemented across different contexts and populations. 1.5.1. Key Points: · Athletes who sleep less are more likely to get injured than those who sleep longer. · Sleep may reduce injury risk by helping the body recover and by keeping focus and reaction times sharp. · Encouraging healthy sleep habits could be an easy and effective way to support athlete health and injury prevention.