Problematic Smartphone Use, Sleep Quality, Recovery and Athletic Performance: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Problematic smartphone use (PSU) is becoming increasingly prevalent among young adults and athletes, with one of its principal sequelae being deterioration of sleep. The aim of the present review is to synthesise current evidence concerning the relationships among PSU, sleep quality, recovery processes and athletic performance. Experimental, cross-sectional and longitudinal studies describing physiological mechanisms—including blue-light exposure, suppression of melatonin secretion and cognitive arousal—as well as behavioural mechanisms linked to pre-sleep telephone use were examined. The accumulated data indicate that evening smartphone use prolongs sleep onset latency, shortens total sleep time and reduces sleep efficiency, whereas sleep of diminished quality impairs muscular recovery, hormonal homeostasis and cognitive function and elevates injury risk. Although investigations that directly link the continuum of PSU–sleep–recovery–athletic outcomes remain scarce, the available evidence consistently points to a negative direction of association. Physical activity may act as a protective factor against PSU, yet it does not eliminate risk entirely. Restricting smartphone use for 60–90 min before bedtime constitutes a simple, low-cost intervention that may support sleep, recovery and athletic performance, particularly during periods of intensive training loads.