Pre-competition Hyperpnea in Athletes: Biomarker Correlates and the Team Psychologist’s Arousal Regulation and Motivation Enhancement Roles
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Pre-competition hyperpnea is a psychophysiological reaction in athletes that signifies the interplay between metabolic requirements, autonomic activation, and anticipatory arousal. Although frequently perceived as anxiety-related, it also functions as a marker of performance readiness. This position paper, founded on a comprehensive narrative review of sport psychology, exercise physiology, psychophysiology, and biomarker research, contends that pre-competition hyperpnea should be acknowledged as a significant indicator of athlete readiness rather than merely a maladaptive response. Biomarkers such as cortisol, alpha-amylase, chromogranin A, and lactate serve as supplementary indicators for analyzing pre-competition physiological conditions in conjunction with psychological factors including arousal, anxiety, and cognitive appraisal. The paper contends that team psychologists ought to assume a pivotal role in converting these psychophysiological signals into practical intervention strategies. Psychologists can help athletes maximize pre-competition activation through arousal regulation and motivation enhancement techniques like controlled breathing, cognitive reframing, and attentional focus training. The study promotes the official incorporation of psychological intervention and biomarker-informed monitoring into pre-competition practices. This multidisciplinary approach improves individual athlete preparation and fosters cooperation between psychologists, coaches, and medical personnel. The study comes to the conclusion that elite sport preparation should include integrated psychophysiological–psychological management of hyperpnea.
Authors: N. P Honawon, R.O Okuneye, O. A Lawal, I.A Oyewumi
Institutions: Lagos State University, Olabisi Onabanjo University
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W7166201664