The impact of sleep on female athletes’ performance and recovery: a narrative literature review

Sleep is a critical component of athletic performance and recovery, yet female athletes often face unique challenges that may hinder their ability to achieve optimal sleep. This narrative literature review examines the importance of sleep for female athletic performance and synthesizes evidence on the physiological, psychological, and social factors influencing sleep quality and duration in female athletes, including hormonal fluctuations across the menstrual cycle, psychological stressors, societal expectations, and training demands. Relevant literature was identified through targeted searches of PubMed, Web of Science, and SportDiscus, focusing on studies related to sleep, performance, and recovery in female athletic populations. Collectively, the findings highlight sleep as a foundational element of performance and well-being and suggest that individualized, female-specific sleep strategies may support improved recovery, performance consistency, and overall health. Addressing the unique sleep-related challenges faced by female athletes may inform more effective training practices and support systems within sport.