The Woman Who Helps NBA Stars To Sleep: Stop Having Showers Just Before Bed! Dr Cheri Mah

Predicting NBA team losses can be linked to sleep quality, with even a 15-30 minute difference impacting performance. Dr. Sharim Ma emphasizes the importance of sufficient sleep for athletes and professionals, showing improvements in reaction times and overall athletic performance when well-rested. Simple adjustments like timing showers before bed or choosing pre-sleep snacks such as cereal and milk can enhance sleep quality without causing disruptions. Additionally, techniques like 'nappuccino'—a strategic nap combined with caffeine—can boost alertness during work hours.

Dr. M, a sleep physician, emphasizes the critical importance of prioritizing sleep for overall well-being and performance. Many people overlook or sacrifice their sleep quality, which negatively impacts their daily functioning and mood. For elite athletes he works with, adequate rest can lead to significant improvements in performance metrics like reaction time and accuracy in sports activities. He advocates that investing time into improving one's sleep is essential for clearer thinking, better decision-making, enhanced productivity, and an improved emotional state.

Working with a diverse range of professional sports teams and organizations, the focus is on applying sleep science to enhance performance. Collaborations include Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants, NBA’s Golden State Warriors, NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles—where a Super Bowl win was achieved—and brands like Nike and ESPN. Individual athletes seek optimization for longevity in their careers by improving sleep quality to prevent injuries. Additionally, executives are coached similarly as they face high-pressure decisions that require optimal cognitive function; strategies beneficial for athletes also apply effectively to corporate leaders.

The Shift from Sleep Deprivation to Embracing Rest Society often glorifies the idea of thriving on minimal sleep, with a belief that four to five hours is sufficient for peak performance. However, this mindset is shifting as more elite athletes advocate for adequate rest; figures like Tom Brady and Simone Biles emphasize the necessity of eight or more hours to enhance their capabilities. The realization that insufficient sleep hinders personal effectiveness—whether in sports or leadership—is gaining traction, highlighting how transformative quality rest can be.

Individual Sleep Needs: Finding Your Optimal Amount A common misconception exists regarding universal sleep needs; while many believe everyone requires a fixed amount of sleep, individual variability plays a crucial role. Recommendations suggest at least seven hours as a minimum threshold but some may need up to nine or even more for optimal functioning. Small adjustments in nightly routines can significantly impact overall well-being—adding just 15-30 minutes each night could lead students from lower grades toward higher academic success over time by improving alertness and cognitive function.

A study on adult male basketball players examined the effects of extending sleep to 9-10 hours nightly over 5-7 weeks. The results showed a significant improvement in performance metrics: free throw and three-point shot accuracy increased by 9%, reaction time improved by 12%, and sprint times became faster by 4%. This research highlighted that even small enhancements in these areas could be crucial for winning, as seen in competitive sports where marginal gains can determine champions. Athletes were able to increase their average sleep duration significantly, which was objectively measured using actigraphy devices.

The NBA schedule significantly impacts team performance, as demonstrated by a project predicting game losses based solely on travel schedules. Over three seasons, predictions were accurate 76-86% of the time without considering team strength. Additionally, studies show that West Coast teams outperform East Coast teams in night games due to body clock differences; this trend has been consistent over 25 years with a success rate of beating Las Vegas spreads at 68%. The optimal performance window occurs between late afternoon and evening when athletes are most effective.

A study published in 2011 revealed that players who increased their sleep duration significantly improved their sprinting times, with a notable drop from 16.2 seconds to 15.5 seconds over a standardized distance drill involving sprints to half court and back. This equates to an impressive 4% improvement in performance due solely to enhanced rest. While some professional teams and athletes are beginning to recognize the importance of sleep as a competitive advantage, many remain unaware of its potential benefits for athletic performance enhancement. Forward-thinking organizations are starting to implement strategies focused on optimizing sleep, viewing it as an effective tool akin to safe performance-enhancing methods.

Andre Iguodala, an All-Star with the Golden State Warriors, transformed his career by prioritizing sleep. Previously staying up late playing video games and taking long naps, he sought help to improve his sleep habits. After implementing a structured routine that included better nutrition and optimized nap times closer to game time, Iguodala experienced significant performance enhancements: increased hours of quality sleep led to improved shooting percentages and overall scoring efficiency. His dedication resulted in winning four championships while extending his career for another decade—demonstrating how focusing on rest can unlock untapped potential even at elite levels.

To improve sleep quality, start by transforming your sleep environment into a dark, quiet, cool space reminiscent of a cave. Utilize blackout curtains and eye masks to block out light effectively. Incorporate earplugs or white noise machines to minimize disruptive sounds; even portable options are beneficial for travel situations.

Listening to sound or music while sleeping can be beneficial if you're accustomed to it, like growing up with a radio. However, bright lights and stimulating content from devices such as TVs before bedtime may negatively impact sleep quality. White noise machines are recommended for masking disruptive external sounds like traffic or construction; some even adapt their volume based on surrounding noise levels. Earplugs can also aid in achieving better sleep during travel.

Maintaining a cooler sleep environment, ideally between 60 to 67°F (16 to 20°C), is crucial for better sleep quality. Many people unknowingly sleep in warmer conditions that hinder their ability to fall and stay asleep. Gradually adjusting the temperature down by one or two degrees can help find an optimal setting, with technology like adjustable mattress covers available for couples with differing preferences. Additionally, timing hot showers or baths earlier—about an hour and a half before bedtime—can prevent conflicting signals from rising core temperatures right before sleeping, promoting quicker onset of deep sleep which aids muscle recovery.

Eating close to bedtime can disrupt sleep, but hunger often makes it necessary. Instead of a heavy meal, opt for a light pre-sleep snack that combines complex carbohydrates and lean protein. Good options include whole grain cereal with milk, cottage cheese with fruit, or whole-grain crackers with peanut butter. These snacks are slow-digesting and help prevent waking up hungry during the night while providing enough energy until morning.

Foods That Sabotage Sleep Quality Consuming alcohol, caffeine, and heavy fried meals before bed can severely disrupt sleep quality. Foods high in sugar and low in fiber are often chosen when individuals are sleep-deprived, further exacerbating the problem. The impact of diet on sleep is still being researched; however, studies suggest that certain foods may lead to increased awakenings during the night.

The Vicious Cycle of Poor Eating Before Bed Eating unhealthy snacks like cookies right before bedtime can cause metabolic strain and elevate heart rates throughout the night. This leads to poor-quality rest and a feeling of fatigue upon waking up. A cycle emerges where tiredness drives people toward bad food choices at night which then worsens their overall sleep health—potentially leading to weight gain over time.

To calm a racing mind before sleep, it's essential to process thoughts outside of bed in dim light. Engaging in activities like stretching or deep breathing can activate the parasympathetic nervous system and reduce anxiety. Journaling or creating a to-do list are effective methods for organizing thoughts and easing mental clutter. Additionally, reading before bedtime has been shown to improve sleep quality by about 5%, as it helps distance oneself from bright screens while promoting relaxation.

Harnessing Relaxation Through the Parasympathetic Nervous System The parasympathetic nervous system is essential for relaxation and winding down, balancing the sympathetic system responsible for fight or flight responses. Activating this calming system helps slow heart rate and breathing, preparing both body and mind for sleep. Gradually easing into rest is more effective than abruptly stopping high-energy activities.

Transformative Impact of Sleep on Athletic Performance Improving sleep involves creating a conducive environment: keeping it dark, cool (around 67 degrees), quiet, and minimizing technology exposure before bed. Adjustments like shortening long naps to 20-30 minutes closer to game time can enhance performance while addressing accumulated sleep debt by extending nightly rest from under seven hours to between seven-and-a-half to eight hours. Athletes like Ryan Jensen illustrate how diagnosing issues such as sleep apnea with treatments like CPAP can transform careers; after treatment he achieved remarkable success in the NFL including winning a Super Bowl.

Sleep deprivation significantly impacts emotional regulation, leading to increased irritability and impulsive reactions. When well-rested, individuals can respond more strategically rather than relying on instinctual emotions governed by the amygdala. The lack of sleep alters brain function and decision-making abilities, prompting some people to consciously avoid interactions or decisions when they are tired. Notably, successful figures like CEOs emphasize the importance of quality sleep for maintaining emotional balance and effective leadership.

Jeff Bezos emphasizes the critical role of sleep in decision-making, advocating for eight hours each night. He believes that as a CEO, his primary responsibility is to make significant decisions and recognizes that adequate rest directly impacts cognitive performance. Studies show well-rested individuals exhibit better judgment and faster reactions, reducing cognitive errors during high-stakes situations. Historical events like the Challenger disaster highlight how poor sleep can lead to disastrous outcomes due to impaired decision-making.

Sleep Duration Directly Impacts Cognitive Performance Cognitive performance is significantly affected by sleep duration, particularly reaction time. Studies show that even a small increase in sleep can enhance cognitive abilities; for instance, an additional 15 minutes of sleep can elevate a student's performance from average to above-average. Consistent quality sleep leads to stable and optimal reaction times over the week, while insufficient rest results in slower responses and increased errors. Recovery from poor sleeping patterns requires more than just one night of good rest—multiple nights or weeks are necessary for full restoration.

Recovery Sleep: A Long-Term Investment for Mental Acuity Research indicates that recovering lost sleep takes several weeks rather than just days. The most significant improvements occur within the first couple of weeks when individuals prioritize their rest schedule effectively. Even adding an hour of extra nightly sleep has shown marked benefits on cognitive functions like processing speed among athletes during studies conducted with professional baseball players. Therefore, investing time into improving one's sleeping habits yields substantial long-term gains in mental acuity.

Understanding Sleep Debt: Accumulation and Recovery Sleep debt refers to the cumulative effect of not getting enough sleep over time. If an individual needs eight hours but only gets six, they accumulate a two-hour deficit each night. This can lead to significant amounts of unpaid sleep debt if it continues for several days or weeks, although some recovery is possible through extended rest on subsequent nights.

The Impact of Sleep Extension on Performance Research shows that addressing sleep debt with additional rest leads to improvements in reaction times, fatigue levels, and overall performance—especially among collegiate athletes who often experience high fatigue due to insufficient sleep. By maintaining consistent training while allowing extra recovery time through better sleeping habits, athletes demonstrate enhanced physical capabilities as their accumulated deficits are paid back effectively throughout the season.

REM sleep is crucial for muscle recovery and skill consolidation, with deep sleep promoting growth hormone release. Sleep cycles last 90 to 120 minutes, shifting from deeper stages at the beginning of the night to more REM in the early morning. Muscle memory requires adequate rest; without it, new skills or information cannot be effectively stored or recalled later. For optimal learning outcomes—whether studying for exams or mastering athletic plays—spacing study sessions followed by quality sleep enhances retention.

The nappuccino is a technique that combines caffeine consumption with a short power nap to enhance alertness and performance. To execute this, drink your favorite caffeinated beverage and then take a 20 to 30-minute nap shortly after. The idea is that the caffeine will begin to activate while you rest, leading to improved effectiveness upon waking. Research indicates this method outperforms using either caffeine or napping alone for boosting energy levels in the following hours.

Naps can effectively boost alertness and performance, even if they don't lead to deep or REM sleep. Short naps of about 15-30 minutes allow you to stay in lighter stages of sleep, which are beneficial for maintaining energy levels without the grogginess associated with longer naps. Longer naps often result in waking up from deeper sleep phases, leading to sluggishness known as 'sleep inertia.' To maximize benefits from napping, it's recommended to keep them brief—ideally around 30 minutes—and set an alarm accordingly.

The snooze button can disrupt sleep quality by causing fragmented rest instead of allowing for consolidated REM sleep. Hitting the snooze multiple times leads to waking up during lighter stages of sleep, which diminishes the benefits associated with deep dreaming necessary for learning and memory consolidation. A better approach is to limit hitting the snooze button to once or not at all, ensuring a more restful night that maximizes valuable REM hours before waking.

Chronotypes influence sleep patterns and productivity, with some individuals naturally inclined to be night owls or morning larks. Night owls prefer working late into the evening when they feel most creative, while morning larks thrive in early hours. Adapting schedules to align with one's chronotype can enhance productivity; for instance, avoiding early commitments allows night owls to wake up naturally without alarms. This flexibility is often lacking in society where rigid schedules force people out of sync with their natural rhythms.

School start times are often too early for students, particularly those with an Al chronotype who struggle to wake up in the morning. Recent changes in California have shifted high school and middle school start times later based on studies showing that well-rested students exhibit higher attendance rates, improved grades, and better mental health outcomes. Adolescents naturally tend to go to bed and wake up later due to shifts in their body clocks; forcing them out of sleep leads to insufficient rest and a buildup of sleep debt. By adjusting school schedules, students can achieve more restful nights which ultimately enhances their learning capabilities and overall health.

Parents should prioritize instilling good sleep habits in their children from an early age to ensure they value sleep throughout life. Teaching kids about proper sleep hygiene can lead to healthier families and a generation that recognizes the importance of rest. As a new parent, managing personal fatigue while nurturing these habits is challenging but essential for long-term benefits. Strategies like optimizing the sleeping environment and establishing consistent routines are crucial even when full duration isn't achievable.

Strategic Sleep Preparation for Travelers Traveling can significantly impact sleep quality, and having a strategic approach is essential. Before flying, avoid panic packing to ensure adequate rest; aim for at least seven hours of sleep before departure. Adjust your body clock by shifting bedtime earlier in the days leading up to travel if crossing time zones. This preparation helps minimize jet lag and enhances overall performance during trips.

Optimizing In-Flight Rest During flights, staying hydrated is crucial as dehydration exacerbates jet lag symptoms. Begin adapting to the new time zone by adjusting meal times and sleeping patterns while en route. Investing in a travel sleep kit with essentials like eye masks and noise-canceling headphones can facilitate better rest under less-than-ideal conditions on planes or upon arrival.

Utilizing Melatonin and Apps for Travel Sleep Adjustment Melatonin can be beneficial for adjusting sleep schedules, especially when traveling. It helps athletes advance their internal clocks but may cause grogginess upon waking. Since melatonin supplements are not FDA regulated, it's crucial to choose NSF Sports certified versions to ensure quality and accurate dosing. An app that aligns eating times with destination time zones aids in acclimatization during travel.

Strategies for Managing Jet Lag During Travel Hydration is essential while flying; minimizing caffeine intake can help reduce jet lag symptoms. Light exposure plays a significant role in resetting the body clock, so wearing sunglasses at strategic times is advisable to avoid unwanted sunlight after crossing time zones. Allowing adequate rest before important activities or workouts reduces injury risk associated with sudden schedule changes.

Engaging in sex before sleep can influence the quality of rest. It's crucial to maintain a clear distinction between activities associated with wakefulness and those linked to relaxation, like sleep and intimacy. Using devices or working in bed reinforces an alert state, making it harder for the brain to associate that space solely with rest. While personal experiences suggest that sex may enhance sleep quality by promoting better consolidation of slumber, external factors such as a partner's movements or snoring could disrupt this benefit.

Cheri Mah often receives questions about napping and oversleeping. Naps should ideally last 20 to 30 minutes, while concerns about oversleeping are common; however, sleeping longer hours can lead to grogginess due to disrupted sleep schedules or accumulated sleep debt. Studies suggest that excessive sleep may correlate with health risks but establishing a direct cause-and-effect relationship is complex since underlying conditions like depression could influence both long sleep duration and associated health issues. Consistency in bedtime and wake time is crucial for feeling refreshed upon waking rather than the total number of hours slept.

Sleep apnea affects approximately 26% of individuals aged 30 to 70, equating to one in four people. Many remain undiagnosed until later in life due to a lack of awareness about the condition's symptoms, which include daytime fatigue and early morning awakenings. Common indicators are loud snoring and episodes where breathing pauses during sleep. While overweight individuals are at higher risk for developing sleep apnea due to airway collapse around the neck, even fit athletes can experience this disorder.

Many people claim they don't have enough time to prioritize sleep, but this is often a misconception. Everyone can make small adjustments in their daily routines and environments to enhance sleep quality. Implementing even a brief wind-down routine or investing in better sleep tools can lead to significant improvements at night. Additionally, waiting until the offseason to focus on rest is counterproductive; maintaining consistent good sleeping habits year-round prevents accumulating 'sleep debt' that hinders performance during critical times.

Insufficient sleep significantly increases injury risk among athletes. Studies indicate that adolescents getting less than six hours of sleep experience more fatigue-related injuries, while those sleeping under eight hours face a 70% higher chance of injury compared to well-rested peers. The exact reasons for this heightened risk remain unclear, but biomechanical changes due to lack of rest have been observed. Athletes who are underslept exhibit greater variability in their movement patterns and coordination during activities like vertical jumps, which may lead to improper landing techniques and increased susceptibility to injuries.

Waking up early can trigger increased hunger, as experienced by Steven when he rises at 4:00 a.m. for flights. This shift in sleep schedule mimics symptoms of jet lag, causing fatigue and gastrointestinal discomfort due to hormonal imbalances affecting appetite regulation. Hormones like leptin and ghrelin play crucial roles; insufficient sleep disrupts their balance, leading to cravings for unhealthy foods and potential weight gain issues.

Waking up during the night is a common occurrence and can be considered normal. It’s typical to have brief awakenings, especially when transitioning between sleep stages; these may not always be remembered. However, if nighttime awakenings become frequent or disrupt daytime functioning over several weeks, it could indicate underlying issues such as environmental disturbances, alcohol consumption before bed, caffeine intake, stress levels, or even conditions like sleep apnea.

Alcohol consumption significantly disrupts sleep quality, leading to more fragmented rest and increased awakenings throughout the night. Studies indicate that moderate to high alcohol intake correlates with poorer sleep outcomes. To optimize performance for important events or meetings, it's advisable to minimize or avoid alcohol before bedtime. Ideally, consuming alcohol earlier in the day is recommended over drinking right before sleeping.

Embracing Mistakes for Growth Reflecting on past mistakes reveals a belief in the value of learning and growth. Instead of wishing to change his worst mistake, he embraces it as part of his journey that shaped who he is today. Acknowledging personal and professional missteps, he emphasizes their role in adaptation and development.

The Transformative Power of Sleep Prioritizing sleep transforms productivity; once viewed as a badge of honor to sacrifice rest, now seen as foundational for success. Sleep should be regarded not just as an end but the beginning of tomorrow's performance. Small adjustments can lead to significant improvements in well-being and career trajectories.