Overtraining in elite athletes is linked to mood changes; cognitive evidence is limited
A systematic review found psychological changes with both non-functional overreaching and overtraining syndrome, but evidence about thinking skills was sparse and did not show the same pattern.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Elite athletes experiencing non-functional overreaching or overtraining syndrome showed changes in mood, stress, burnout, and fatigue. Evidence on cognition was much thinner: difficulties with inhibitory control were suggested for overtraining syndrome, while no clear deficits emerged for non-functional overreaching. That difference is tentative and does not establish that either condition has a uniform effect on thinking.
The abstract describes limited, highly varied evidence on psychological well-being and little research on cognition. It does not provide effect sizes, study durations, or enough study-level detail to judge causality.
Who the review concerned
The review specifically concerned elite adults, whose training and competition demands were the focus. It separated non-functional overreaching from overtraining syndrome instead of treating all athletes or all training-related difficulties as interchangeable.
A narrow cognitive picture
Most cognitive evidence addressed inhibition, a narrow part of cognitive functioning. A lack of clear deficits in non-functional overreaching therefore leaves uncertainty about other thinking skills and should not be read as proof of no cognitive effect.
The original publication
Effects of non-functional overreaching and overtraining syndrome on psychological and cognitive functioning in elite athletes: A systematic review.
Valdesalici A, Sella E, Domenicucci R et al.
Psychol Sport Exerc · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41580212
- Record checked
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