Poor Sleep Nearly Doubles a Runner’s Risk of Injury, Study Finds

THURSDAY, Nov. 13, 2025 (HealthDay News) — If you’re a regular runner, logging miles on little sleep might be doing more harm than you think.

A new study found that runners who slept poorly were nearly twice as likely to get hurt.

The study, published in the journal Applied Sciences, surveyed 425 recreational runners and tracked their sleep habits and injuries over a year.

Participants who reported shorter sleep duration, poorer sleep quality or frequent sleep problems were 1.78 times more likely to be injured, with a 68% chance of suffering from an injury within 12 months.

The research provided “compelling evidence that sleep is a critical yet often overlooked component of injury prevention,” study lead author Jan de Jonge said in a news release. He’s a work and sports psychologist at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands and adjunct professor at the University of South Australia.

The research provides new evidence that sleep plays a critical role in injury prevention, especially for the 620 million people worldwide who run recreationally.

Up to 90% of them experience an injury at some point, costing millions each year in health care and missed work.

“When sleep is disrupted or insufficient, the body’s ability to repair tissues, regulate hormones and maintain focus diminishes, all of which can increase injury risk,” de Jonge said.

The findings also suggest that problems such as trouble falling asleep, waking often at night, or feeling unrested in the morning significantly raise the risk for injury.

Experts recommend seven to nine hours of sleep each night, with athletes often needing even more rest, including naps, to help the body recover.

“Sleep quality and sleep duration are both important, but quantity often provides the bedrock," de Jonge said. "Sleep should be recognized not only as a recovery tool, but also as a potential predictor of injury vulnerability in recreational sports."

Simple habits such as going to bed at a consistent time, limiting caffeine or alcohol and keeping screens out of the bedroom can all support better sleep and fewer injuries.

More information

The Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation has more on the importance of sleep for runners.

SOURCE: University of South Australia, news release, Nov. 11, 2025