Sleep and football. 6th grade A.

A few decades ago, professional footballers spent their nights partying. Now, they are much more aware of the benefits of a good night’s sleep.

Gradually, club managers began to pay more attention to scientific sleep research, and for good reason. In 2011, sleep specialist Cheri Mah discovered that increasing sleep to 8-10 hours per night massively increased the speed and shot accuracy of players. Other research shows that a single night of inadequate sleep can increase the risk of injury, and 64 hours of bad sleep reduces strength, power and balance, and can even cause the body to eat its own muscles!

Consequently, managers started trying to improve their players’ sleep. Southampton Football Club’s manager Alek Gross, for example, forbade his players from consuming caffeine, sugar or fatty foods, which prevent sleep, in the evenings. Instead, they were given milky protein drinks which made them tired. 

Manchester City player Sergio Aguero, for example, was finding it hard to sleep because his muscular body prevented his legs from closing when he lay on his side. He got a new mattress which matched his height and weight, thus keeping his neck and back aligned in the night.

James Milner from Manchester City found it hard to sleep after evening games, so would play computer games into the early hours. As a result, he was too tired to train the following morning. Setting a routine with a late bedtime, early rise and afternoon nap helped to fix this problem.

Whereas in the past, playing after a party and a few hours’ sleep was seen as a badge of honour, a good sleep is now considered an essential part of performance.