10 Questions
What led to the change in professional footballers' approach to sleep?
A meeting between a mattress salesman and a football team manager
What was the outcome of Cheri Mah's research on sleep and basketball players?
Increasing sleep to 8-10 hours per night massively increased the speed and shot accuracy of basketball players
What is one of the consequences of 64 hours of bad sleep?
The body eats its own muscles
What did Southampton Football Club's manager Alek Gross prohibit his players from consuming in the evenings?
Caffeine, sugar, and fatty foods
What was Nick Littlehales' role in the football industry?
Football's leading mattress advisor
What was the concern of the Mexico team manager regarding their World Cup group games in Russia?
Sleep loss during travel
What was the request made by Mexico's captain Rafael Marquez to the fans at the hotel?
To keep quiet as the team was sleeping
What was the problem that Manchester City player Sergio Aguero faced while sleeping?
His muscular body prevented his legs from closing when he lay on his side
What was the solution found to help Manchester City player James Milner sleep better?
Setting a routine with a late bedtime, early rise, and afternoon nap
What has been the impact of using wrist trackers to monitor player's sleep at Brentford football club?
A significant improvement in players' attentiveness
Study Notes
The Evolution of Sleep in Football
- In the mid-1990s, mattress salesman Nick Littlehales introduced the concept of sleep affecting performance to Manchester United's manager Alex Ferguson, leading to a team-wide adoption of new mattresses and pillows.
- Littlehales became football's leading mattress advisor, supplying mattresses for England's World Cup team in 1998 and creating individual sleep routines for every player at the 2004 Euros.
The Science of Sleep
- Increasing sleep to 8-10 hours per night can massively increase speed and shot accuracy in basketball players, according to sleep specialist Cheri Mah's 2011 research.
- A single night of inadequate sleep can increase the risk of injury, and 64 hours of bad sleep can reduce strength, power, and balance, and even cause the body to eat its own muscles.
Clubs' Efforts to Improve Sleep
- Southampton Football Club's manager Alek Gross banned players from consuming caffeine, sugar, or fatty foods in the evenings and instead provided milky protein drinks to promote sleep.
- The Mexico team manager, along with Manchester United sports scientist Robin Thorpe, developed a sleep and training schedule to optimize performance, including setting hotel bedrooms to the ideal sleeping temperature.
- Manchester City player Sergio Aguero got a custom-made mattress to match his height and weight, solving his sleep issues due to his muscular body.
- Manchester City player James Milner set a routine with a late bedtime, early rise, and afternoon nap to overcome his sleep problems after evening games.
Broader Impact
- The emphasis on sleep has become a key aspect of performance, with many teams and players now prioritizing good sleep habits.
- Even smaller-budget teams like Brentford can benefit from sleep interventions, using wrist trackers to monitor player's sleep and leading to improved attentiveness.
Discover how professional footballers have changed their approach to sleep and its impact on their performance on the pitch. Learn how a mattress salesman's presentation to Manchester United's team manager Alex Ferguson sparked a new era in athlete sleep awareness.
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