Resting the mind – A novel topic with scarce insights. Considering potential mental recovery strategies for short rest periods in sports

Abstract Both meticulously structured trainig routine as well as specific characteristics of various sports (e.g., swimming, shooting, modern pentathlon) with multiple competition bouts in a single day appear to be mentally demanding and may result in a state of mental fatigue. Due to these multidimensional demands, adequate training and competition recovery is essential. Consequently, the idea of mental recovery embraces the spotlight of research. On training and competition days, short rest periods implemented as a vital part, can be used for mental recovery and can help in assisting athletes to return to baseline levels of mental abilites (e.g., concentration, attention). Sport-specific …