Sleeping Tips from Pro Athletes

The San Jose Sharks hold the National Hockey League NHL's road record for the 2015-2016 season, meaning they've won the most games away from home. If you ask the secret to that success, their team’s sleep expert Mah will tell you, they prioritize sleep.

It is more important for west coast teams as they play through more different time zones than other teams. There are 4 time zones in US, the west coast is 3 hours behind east coast).

While sleep is important for everyone, it may play a specific role for elite performers. Sleep can impact cognitive and physical performance, as well as training, recovery and overall health.

There are many studies carried out on the impact of sleep quality on athlete’s performance during the game. Although general public believe that sleep deprivation will influence performance, however there are too many other factors, not all research is so conclusive. According to William G. Herbert at Virginia Tech, while he agreed that aerobic and muscular power may not be affected by sleeplessness, most complex athletic activities require fine motor skills, such as visual tracking, decision making, vigilance, and others, which are affected by sleep loss.

“In the case of elite professional athletes, it is especially important that they have to ensure quality sleep so not to affect performance while they travel across time zones significantly.”

What we can learn from those winning athletes?

1. Make sure you get enough hours of sleep every single night

Although it varies depends on individual. Shark’s team sleep expert Mah recommends 8 to 10 hours of sleep for her players, the typical recommendation is 7 to 9 hours for most adults.

2. Follow a wind down routine

“A wind down routine is key for transitioning from the day to preparing for sleep,” Mah said. She recommends that the athletes she works with spend 20 to 30 minutes stretching or practicing yoga before hitting their sheets and use the time strategically to process their thoughts which helps them to sleep faster.

3. Nap when needed

Naps are very commonplace for professional athletes. Athletes often nap after practice, before games, on flights or during any down time they have. Many athletes find it easiest to nap in the afternoon because there is a sleeps dip in the circadian clock then.