A Bibliometric Analysis and Trends of Scientific Research on the Role of Sleep in Athletic Performance

Abstract

In this study, the scientific literature addressing the role of sleep in athletic performance was examined using a bibliometric approach. A total of 2,121 publications indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection between 1981 and 2025 were analyzed, and the evaluations were conducted using the bibliometrix package in the RStudio environment. The analysis focused on publication production trends, core journals, scientific contributions at the author and country levels, and citation patterns.

The findings indicate that research on sleep and athletic performance has exhibited a marked growth trend over the past four decades, with a particularly notable increase in publication volume and citation impact in recent years. The literature was found to be concentrated around a limited number of specialized journals, displaying a core–periphery structure consistent with Bradford’s Law. Scientific output was predominantly led by the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom, while author productivity was concentrated within a relatively small group of researchers. Citation patterns further demonstrate that the development of the field has been shaped by influential and guiding studies, evolving over time toward a more diversified research structure.