Exercise-induced muscular stress triggers a complex cascade of adaptive responses, including micro-injury, inflammation, activation of satellite cells, mitochondrial remodeling, and myofibrillar repair. The efficiency of recovery processes is crucial for athletic performance, especially among elite athletes, where rapid restoration of muscle function, reduction of inflammation, and improved sleep quality influence training results. Beyond traditional recovery methods, EVs and, more recently, plant-derived exosome-like nanovesicles (PELNs) have emerged as promising bioactive mediators of intercellular communication and tissue regeneration. PELNs contain various biomolecules such as lipids, proteins, small RNAs, and plant-specific metabolites that may affect oxidative stress, inflammatory signaling, and cellular repair pathways. While most research has focused on mammalian or cell-line sources, growing evidence indicates that PELNs may improve muscle regeneration and recovery through cellular modulation and enhanced sleep-related recovery. Notably, PELNs represent a multi-target strategy that may simultaneously modulate neuroendocrine pathways involved in sleep regulation and metabolic-inflammatory mechanisms governing skeletal muscle repair. By influencing circadian rhythm signaling, mitochondrial dynamics, and redox homeostasis, PELNs may bridge the sleep-muscle recovery axis, an emerging concept in exercise physiology. This dual regulatory capacity distinguishes PELNs from conventional recovery interventions and highlights their innovative and translational potential in sports science. This review aims to compile current evidence linking PELNs to exercise-induced muscle recovery, highlighting potential mechanisms, including the regulation of inflammatory and redox balance, microRNA-driven signaling, and neurometabolic adaptation. By combining insights from exercise physiology and molecular regenerative biology, we propose that PELNs offer a natural approach to enhancing recovery and performance in athletes.
