THE IMPACT OF YOGA AND PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS ON ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE: A DECADAL SYSTEMATIC REVIEW (2014–2024)

Abstract

Significant improvements in athletic performance have been shown in studies examining psychological therapies and mind-body approaches in sport throughout the last ten years (2014–2024). Among these, yoga has drawn empirical attention as a supplemental intervention for improving psychological constructs essential to athletic success. Yoga is a holistic discipline that combines physical postures (asana), breath control (pranayama), and energy locks (bandha). This systematic review summarizes research on the effects of psychological therapies and yoga on athletes' mental toughness, self-worth, and emotional intelligence at all levels of competition. We spot patterns in performance metrics, outcome measures, intervention features, and research design. Results consistently show that structured yoga programs combined with training in specific psychological abilities are linked to better performance results by improving stress control, self-perception, and emotional awareness. The review assesses the quality of the evidence across athletic populations and explores the neuropsychological, psychophysiological, and cognitive-affective processes that underlie yoga and psychological techniques. With implications for coaches, sport psychologists, and practitioners looking for evidence-based interventions to improve athlete wellbeing and performance, the article also identifies research gaps and offers suggestions for upcoming longitudinal and mechanistic studies.