2.  From professional football teams to Olympic
athletes, Dr. James Maas educates and
advises a variety of athletes on the
disadvantages of sleep deprivation. Dr.
James Maas helps sports professionals
establish reliable sleeping patterns that
improve competitive performance.
During sleep, the human body repairs itself
and recharges. For an average person,
sleeping seven to nine hours a day is
optimal.

3.  However, for athletes, whose bodies endure
more stress, additional hours may be
necessary according to orthopedic
surgeon and sports medicine specialist Dr.
David Geier. A good example involves the
study of Stanford University’s basketball
team. Players added two extra hours of
sleep to their routine, resulting in a 5
percent increase in speed and a 9 percent
accuracy boost in free throws. Similar
studies in other sports have shown
comparable result.

4.  To ensure enough sleep, athletes should
incorporate a midday nap into their
regimen or consider retiring to sleep earlier.
Other tips to reduce sleep disruption
include cutting back on substances
containing caffeine and alcohol, refraining
from consuming sleep medications,
practicing natural relaxation techniques,
and allotting additional time to time zone
adjustment when traveling.