The Role of Mindfulness in Reducing Anxiety and Enhancing Athletic Performance
Ramdas Jadhav
International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research August 23, 2025 DOI: 10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i04.54134 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Athletes |
| Interventions | Mindfulness-based interventions focused breathing present-moment awareness acceptance |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Key findings | Evidence from randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses indicates that mindfulness-based interventions improve attentional control, increase flow states, and decrease anxiety symptoms among athletes, with the authors suggesting mindfulness supports emotion regulation, reduces cognitive interference, and promotes resilience under pressure. The authors caution that methodological variability and small sample sizes in existing studies mean more rigorous research is needed. |
Abstract
Mindfulness-based interventions have emerged as effective tools in sports psychology, offering athletes strategies to reduce performance-related anxiety and enhance overall performance. This paper explores the impact of mindfulness practices such as focused breathing, present-moment awareness, and acceptance on psychological well-being and athletic outcomes. Evidence from randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses indicates that mindfulness-based interventions improve attentional control, increase flow states, and decrease anxiety symptoms among athletes. Mindfulness facilitates emotion regulation, reduces cognitive interference, and promotes resilience under pressure. While current findings are promising, methodological variability and small sample sizes in existing studies highlight the need for more rigorous research. This review underscores the potential of mindfulness as a practical and evidence-based approach to optimizing athletic performance and mental health.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-based interventions: an overall review General (healthcare, schools, workplace) | 2021 | Review | |
| A Consensus Statement on the Use of Ketamine in the Treatment of Mood Disorders | 2017 | Review and consensus statement | |
| Sudarshan Kriya Yogic Breathing in the Treatment of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression: Part II—Clinical Applications and Guidelines | 2005 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Meditation and Psychopathology | 2018 | Review | |
| Management of Treatment-Resistant Depression: Challenges and Strategies | 2020 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cites 3
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Neural mechanisms of attentional control in mindfulness meditation Frontiers in Neuroscience 2013
- Mindfulness Mechanisms in Sports: Mediating Effects of Rumination and Emotion Regulation on Sport-Specific Coping Mindfulness May 3, 2017