Pass on sleep? Not if you’re Aaron Rodgers

Last week, an article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ran discussing how Aaron Rodgers, professional quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, has been making lifestyle changes to increase his overall health and wellness, in the hopes of extending his career.

The article, written by Lori Nickel, outlined how Rodgers was taking better care of himself by doing simple things like eating healthier, practicing hot yoga, limiting caffeine and getting more sleep.

Seems Rodgers had been getting only 6 ½ hours of sleep each night, which doesn’t quite cut it according to the nutritionist and trainer quoted in the article. “For a pro athlete that has a tremendous amount of physical stress on the body, sleeping less than six hours is asking for trouble,” said Nicole Fasules. She goes on to say, “Performance will eventually suffer and the adrenal system really takes a nosedive. then immunity can be affected and before you know it, you could find yourself with injuries to boot…All the healing happens at rest and it takes time to get into that deep sleep that is so therapeutic to the body.”

According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleep plays a major role in athletic performance and competitive results. During deep sleep, blood supply to the muscles increases, and the growth hormone essential for muscle repair and development is released.

Now, Rodgers gets 7 ½ to 8 hours each night, and his winning performance speaks for the validity of getting enough rest. And while the rest of us will never be able to throw a football like Rodgers, we certainly can take a lesson from him and make the effort to get more sleep so that we can perform at our best.

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