By Kate Robards, Senior Author
Whereas soccer gamers deal with intense bodily calls for on the sphere, many additionally wrestle with sleep problems that quietly undermine their well being and efficiency.
Aaron Taylor, a former NFL offensive guard, is aware of this firsthand. An All-American and Tremendous Bowl champion with the Inexperienced Bay Packers, Taylor loved a profitable six-season NFL profession. However behind his achievements on the sphere, he struggled with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
Like many linemen, Taylor carried additional weight all through his profession, an element that put him in danger for OSA. He snored loudly and sometimes felt fatigued, but it surely wasn’t till two buddies, together with his former teammate Reggie White, died from coronary heart problems linked to untreated OSA that Taylor sought medical assist.
Following a sleep research, he was recognized with OSA and commenced CPAP remedy, which improved his high quality of life. In the present day, Taylor is an advocate for sleep well being, and he has partnered with the AASM to lift consciousness concerning the warning indicators of OSA.
“Even at a younger age, ignoring the signs of sleep apnea results in harmful penalties — as I’ve seen firsthand for fellow gamers and buddies who’ve struggled with this situation,” Taylor mentioned.
Whereas Taylor speaks out about OSA, one other NFL lineman, Josh Andrews, has taken on a unique battle. Andrews, an offensive guard, was recognized with narcolepsy. He started noticing signs as a teen, battling extreme daytime sleepiness, however he brushed it off, assuming his fatigue was simply a part of life as a high-level athlete. It wasn’t till he was 26 and taking part in for the Philadelphia Eagles that Andrews acquired a analysis.
In 2021, Andrews shared his story as a part of Undertaking Sleep’s World Narcolepsy Day marketing campaign, revealing the day by day struggles he confronted.
Each Taylor and Andrews are a part of a rising variety of NFL gamers talking publicly about their experiences with sleep problems. Ryan Jensen, former heart on the Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, credit his sleep apnea analysis with saving his profession. Gamers like Tony Dorsett, Roy Inexperienced, and Percy Harvin have additionally been vocal about their struggles with OSA, bringing consideration to the difficulty inside the broader soccer group.
Moreover, recognizing the function OSA performed in Reggie White’s demise, his widow Sara White fashioned a basis in his identify to lift consciousness and educate concerning the sleep problem. The nonprofit group additionally supplies reasonably priced CPAP tools to these in want.
Bigger athletes, greater dangers: OSA in soccer gamers
Sleep problems are prevalent within the NFL, significantly amongst bigger athletes like offensive and defensive linemen. Analysis signifies that NFL gamers, particularly linemen, face an elevated danger of OSA as a result of their measurement and physique composition. Now, the typical weight of linemen exceeds 300 kilos — a quantity that’s ballooned over time.
A research carried out by Mayo Clinic investigators highlighted that linemen had a mean of 18.1 episodes of sleep-disordered respiration (SDB) per hour. Additional research have underscored a excessive prevalence of hypertension and OSA amongst these athletes. As an illustration, a 2010 research revealed SDB in 52.3% of former NFL gamers. When stratified by place, linemen had been extra more likely to have SDB (61.3% vs. 46.6%), weight problems (83.5% vs. 52.5%), and hypertension (44.1% vs. 34.0%) in contrast with different gamers.
Moreover, a 2017 scoping evaluate reported that just about 50% of retired NFL linemen who had been studied displayed signs of OSA, and most energetic gamers confirmed signs related to a SDB situation.
The NFL’s concentrate on sleep
The mixing of sleep into NFL tradition is turning into more and more seen. Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay, for instance, has shifted away from a “work until you drop” mentality and now prioritizes relaxation and restoration for his gamers.
The New England Patriots make use of sensory deprivation tanks for purported advantages akin to a four-hour nap, and former quarterback Tom Brady famously adopted a strict sleep routine to make sure he carried out at his finest. Even Kansas Metropolis Chiefs tight finish Travis Kelce has publicly spoken about how a lot he loves “cat naps.”
Sleep know-how can also be turning into a staple within the NFL. Some groups have partnered with firms to trace gamers’ sleep patterns, utilizing wearable units that monitor sleep high quality and restoration. The Seattle Seahawks, for instance, wore the Fatigue Science Readiband to observe fatigue all through the season.
Nonetheless, the push to observe sleep hasn’t come with out controversy. In 2015, the NFL Gamers Affiliation (NFLPA) filed a grievance in opposition to the NFL, arguing that monitoring gamers’ sleep knowledge outdoors of video games and practices violated the collective bargaining settlement. The NFLPA expressed considerations over privateness and the way the info might doubtlessly be used in opposition to gamers throughout contract negotiations. Though the grievance was settled, groups now work carefully with the NFLPA to make sure that gamers are knowledgeable and consent to any sleep monitoring.
Partnerships for peak efficiency
The NFL’s concentrate on sleep has drawn help from members of the sleep medication group.
A research co-authored by Patrick Strollo, Jr., MD, FAASM, a former president of the AASM and member of the NFL’s medical committee, highlighted the prevalence of cardiovascular danger components amongst NFL gamers. Dr. Strollo’s analysis has contributed to a rising understanding of how OSA and different sleep-related points can have an effect on the long-term well being of soccer gamers.
Charles Czeisler, MD, PhD, FAASM, a number one knowledgeable in sleep medication at Harvard Medical Faculty and Brigham and Ladies’s Hospital, has suggested NFL groups such because the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots on managing gamers’ sleep schedules throughout journey. His work has underscored the significance of mitigating jet lag and optimizing restoration for gamers, significantly when groups journey throughout time zones for video games.
James Maas, PhD, a former Cornell College psychology professor who coined the time period “energy nap,” has additionally contributed to the dialog, advising groups just like the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins on the advantages of napping to reinforce efficiency. Meeta Singh, MD, a doctor and psychiatrist who has labored with NFL, MLB, NHL and NBA groups, emphasizes the significance of individualized sleep methods to optimize athlete restoration.
Mark Aloia, PhD, head of sleep and behavioral science at Sleep Quantity and an affiliate professor of drugs at Nationwide Jewish Well being in Denver, additionally meets with a number of the NFL’s athletes and coaches to supply sleep ideas. Sleep Quantity, a company sponsor of the NFL, has supplied high-tech mattresses to over 80% of gamers. In 2018, Sleep Quantity and the NFLPA introduced a partnership to make use of the know-how’s mixture participant knowledge and insights to “holistically advance participant well-being.”
These partnerships between NFL groups and sleep consultants are a part of a broader effort to handle sleep problems throughout the league. The NFL Participant Care Basis, in collaboration with Tulane College Faculty of Medication, now consists of OSA screenings as a part of its complete well being screenings for former gamers.
A brand new period of participant care
The NFL’s rising consciousness of sleep’s impression on efficiency and well being marks a major shift in how the league approaches participant care. By highlighting gamers’ private tales, the stigma round sleep problems is beginning to fade. Because the league integrates sleep science into its participant wellness packages and with continued help from sleep consultants, NFL gamers are actually higher geared up to handle the sleep challenges they face.
