Winter Olympics and Sports Psychiatry Today

With the 2026 winter Olympics starting this week, take a look at our recent sports psychiatry expert commentary and news. International sporting events often bring conversations about athlete mental health into the public eye, and here our contributors discuss a variety of ways psychiatry is essential in sports.

Sleep: The Cornerstone of Athlete Well-Being

Authors discuss sleep hygiene, the necessity of sleep, and practical ways to help patients improve their sleep. Consistency is key, this piece points out, emphasizing that sleep is a core tool for athletic recovery and mental resilience. Read the full article here.

Eating Disorders and Athletes: Why Awareness Matters

Katerina Paraskevas, MD, MPH, and Mena Mirhom, MD, FAPA, highlight the physical impacts of eating disorders, explain why awareness is important, and share insights from a professional athlete. Health and performance must stay separate, and food should not be viewed as a currency to be earned, authors pointed out. See more on how athletes are uniquely vulnerable to eating disorders here.

Stress in Sports: What It Really Means and How to Discuss With Athletes

Experts talk stress, stress management, and how stress affects athletics. “Stress often gets a bad reputation, but it is not always negative…the key to unlocking optimal performance and wellbeing lies in understanding stress, categorizing it, and learning how to harness it,” authors said. The management of stress is essential to steering its effects on athletes and their performance. See the full article here.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Sports Performance: Promise, Physiology, and Precaution

Athletes present with psychiatric disorders at rates comparable to or higher than the general population, yet athletic oversight organizations can complicate pharmacological treatment, author Timothy Veal, MD, says. Transcranial magnetic stimulation can be useful in targeting brain circuitry involved in coordination, strength, resilience, and recovery, making it an emerging treatment option for athletes. “Optimal performance begins with optimal brain health,” Veal emphasized. Read further on TMS for athletes here.

The Hidden Struggles of Athletes: Performance Pressure, Injury, and Mental Health

Wilsa MS Charles Malveaux, MD, MA, FAPA, addresses grief, loss, and unique treatment needs for athletes in recovering from injury and loss. Athletes can experience profound impact on their mental health after a physical injury, Malveaux highlighted, and clinicians can focus on emotional processing to help athletes regain performance capability. Watch Dr Malveaux’s discussion here.