Stress States, Mental Fatigue, and the Concept of Mental Recovery in Sports

In elite sports, physical, mental, and social challenges are constantly increasing and the combination of sport-specific stressors with rigid competition schedules can result in a state of mental fatigue as well as in negative consequences of stress-states (e.g. under-recovery, overtraining syndrome, burnout syndrome). Mental fatigue is described as a psychobiological state caused by prolonged periods of demanding cognitive activity that negatively affects physical and cognitive performance. The role of physical recovery has been well acknowledged in both science and practice, but research should also focus on the effects of mental fatigue and, consequently, the need for mental recovery. Therefore, we introduce the concept of mental recovery and outline potential mental recovery strategies (e.g. psychological-oriented strategies, additional strategies) for rest periods in elite sports as a countermeasure to mental fatigue. Moreover, we focus on sleep as a comprehensive recovery activity, which can also assist in the enhancement of mental recovery. Based on the current knowledge, we summarise applied recommendations of mental recovery, which might open an additional opportunity to optimise systematically the recovery process.