The Woman Who Helps NBA Stars To Sleep: Stop Having Showers Just Before Bed! Dr Cheri Mah
The Diary Of A CEOKey Moments
Dr. Cheri Mah on sleep: Proper sleep boosts athletic performance, decision-making, and well-being.
Key Insights
Sufficient sleep is a game-changer for performance, improving reaction time, accuracy, and speed.
Individual sleep needs vary; aim for 7-9 hours, but find your personal optimal duration.
Optimize your sleep environment (dark, quiet, cool) and establish a consistent wind-down routine.
Avoid technology and heavy meals close to bedtime; a light snack is acceptable if hungry.
Strategic napping (20-30 minutes) and the 'nappuccino' can boost alertness.
Sleep debt is real and takes time to repay. Prioritize sleep consistently, not just during off-seasons.
SLEEP AS A PERFORMANCE ENHANCER
Dr. Cheri Mah emphasizes that sufficient sleep is crucial for peak performance, not just for elite athletes but for everyone. Her research with professional sports teams and executives demonstrates that prioritizing sleep can lead to significant improvements. For athletes, this translates to measurable gains like a 9% increase in free-throw accuracy, a 12% faster reaction time, and a 4% increase in sprint speed. The core message is that optimal sleep is a foundational element influencing mood, cognitive function, and overall performance, making it a powerful, free, and healthy tool for enhancement.
UNDERSTANDING INDIVIDUAL SLEEP NEEDS
A common misconception is that everyone requires the same amount of sleep. While organizations recommend a minimum of seven hours, Dr. Mah stresses individual variability. Some may function best on eight or nine hours, and finding this personal optimal duration is key. She advocates for small, incremental increases in sleep duration—adding just 15-30 minutes per day—to gradually build better sleep habits. This approach acknowledges that even minor improvements can have a cumulative positive effect over time, akin to the difference between A and B grades in students.
OPTIMIZING THE SLEEP ENVIRONMENT AND ROUTINE
Creating an ideal sleep sanctuary is paramount. Dr. Mah recommends transforming the bedroom into a 'cave': dark, quiet, and cool. Utilizing blackout curtains, eye masks, and earplugs can block out disturbances. A cool temperature, typically between 60-67°F (16-19°C), is generally conducive to sleep. Furthermore, inconsistent practices like showering immediately before bed can disrupt natural temperature drops necessary for sleep. Shifting showers or baths to an hour or two before bedtime helps the body prepare for rest, enhancing deep sleep and recovery.
MANAGING NUTRITION AND LATE-NIGHT HABITS
Late-night eating habits significantly impact sleep quality. Dr. Mah advises against heavy, fatty, or overly processed meals close to bedtime, as they can cause digestive discomfort and disrupt sleep. However, for those experiencing hunger, a light, slow-digesting snack like whole-grain cereal with milk, cottage cheese with fruit, or whole-wheat crackers with peanut butter can be beneficial. These snacks provide sustained energy without overwhelming the digestive system. Conversely, consuming alcohol and caffeine late at night, coupled with heavy meals, can severely damage sleep architecture and quality.
STRATEGIC STRATEGIES FOR BUSY LIVES
For individuals with demanding schedules, like athletes or executives, strategic sleep practices are essential. This includes implementing a wind-down routine that may involve reading or stretching to calm the mind and body before sleep. For those experiencing racing thoughts, journaling or deep breathing exercises outside of bed can help process concerns. Napping, specifically a 20-30 minute 'power nap' or the 'nappuccino' (combining caffeine with a short nap), can provide a temporary boost in alertness and performance without causing sleep inertia or disrupting nighttime sleep.
ADDRESSING SLEEP DEBT AND TRAVEL FATIGUE
Sleep debt, the cumulative effect of insufficient sleep, takes time and consistent effort to repay. Dr. Mah’s research shows that recovery sleep, even over several weeks, can restore cognitive function and performance. For frequent travelers, managing jet lag requires a proactive approach: adjust sleep schedules gradually before flights, stay hydrated, minimize alcohol and caffeine, and strategically use light exposure upon arrival. Investing in sleep tools like eye masks and earplugs can create a conducive sleep environment even in non-ideal travel settings.
THE PHYSIOLOGICAL IMPACT OF SLEEP DEPRIVATION
Inadequate sleep profoundly impacts cognitive functions, emotional regulation, and physical health. Sleep deprivation can impair decision-making, increase irritability, and heighten emotional responses, potentially stemming from overactivity in the amygdala. Studies link insufficient sleep to a higher risk of injuries in athletes due to increased biomechanical variability. Furthermore, sleep imbalances can affect appetite-regulating hormones like leptin and ghrelin, contributing to poor food choices and weight management issues. Conditions like sleep apnea, characterized by disrupted breathing during sleep, are common and significantly impact sleep quality and daytime function.
CHRONOTYPES AND THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSISTENCY
Understanding personal chronotypes—whether one is a morning lark or an evening owl—is crucial for optimizing sleep. Dr. Mah supports aligning one's schedule with their natural biological tendency, such as allowing evening owls to start their day later if feasible. However, consistency in sleep and wake times, even on weekends, is vital. Social jetlag, the mismatch between one's internal clock and social demands (like early school start times), can lead to sleep debt and its associated negative consequences. Adjusting school start times, as seen in some regions, can significantly benefit student health and academic performance.
Mentioned in This Episode
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Optimizing Your Sleep: Dos and Don'ts
Practical takeaways from this episode
Do This
Avoid This
Athletic Performance Improvements from Sleep Extension (9-10 hours)
Data extracted from this episode
| Performance Metric | Improvement Percentage |
|---|---|
| Free Throw Shots | 9% |
| Three-Point Shots | 9% |
| Reaction Time | 12% |
| Sprint Time | 4% |
Andre Iguodala's Performance Improvements from Sleep Optimization
Data extracted from this episode
| Performance Metric | Improvement/Decrease Percentage |
|---|---|
| Three-Point Percentage | 218% (two-fold) |
| Free Throw Shots | 8.9% |
| Points Per Minute | 29% |
| Fouls | 45% decrease |
Sleep Duration & Cognitive Performance: Reaction Time
Data extracted from this episode
| Average Sleep Duration (per night) | Reaction Time Impact |
|---|---|
| 9 hours (for a full week) | Consistent/Optimal |
| 7 hours | Slowing, then leveling off (not optimal) |
| 5 hours | Sharper decline, then leveling off (significant impairment) |
| 3 hours | Tanked reaction time (severe impairment) |
Sleep and Injury Risk for Adolescent Athlates
Data extracted from this episode
| Sleep Duration | Risk of Injury |
|---|---|
| Under 6 hours | Higher risk of fatigue-related injuries |
| Under 8 hours | 1.7 times higher risk of injury |
| More than 8 hours | Lower risk of injury |
Common Questions
While the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends minimally 7 hours, individual needs vary. Some may need 8-9 hours or more to feel well-rested and function optimally. The key is to find what works best for your body and prioritize small, consistent increases to your sleep duration.
Topics
Mentioned in this video
A sleep physician and performance expert who dedicates her career to educating people on prioritizing sleep, especially for high-performing athletes and executives.
Research showing that betting on a West Coast team playing an East Coast team during night games (over 25 seasons) would beat the Las Vegas point spread 68% of the time, due to favored performance window based on circadian rhythm.
Suggested by the host as a good pre-sleep snack, endorsed by Dr. Mah for their protein content.
A company for whom Dr. Cheri Mah has provided expertise, applying sleep optimization research to enhance performance.
A strategy involving consuming a caffeinated beverage (like coffee) followed immediately by a 20-30 minute power nap. The caffeine kicks in as one wakes up from the nap, providing a combined boost in alertness and performance.
NBA All-Star who worked with Dr. Mah to extend his career by optimizing his sleep, leading to significant performance improvements and multiple championships.
Recommended as a pre-sleep snack, preferably whole grain cereal with milk, to provide slow-digesting complex carbs and lean protein.
Suggested by the host as a good pre-sleep snack, endorsed by Dr. Mah for its protein and carbohydrate content.
A space shuttle explosion whose final report suggested insufficient sleep among key decision-makers was a contributing factor, illustrating the impact of sleep loss on critical judgment.
An NFL team that Dr. Mah worked with, winning a Super Bowl ring with them in 2017.
A project Dr. Mah partnered with ESPN on, where she was 76-86% correct in predicting when NBA teams would be at highest risk of losing based purely on their schedule and insufficient sleep opportunities.
An easy tool to block out light, useful both at home and when traveling to dampen non-ideal light environments.
Former NFL player cut by the Ravens, whose career was 'saved' after being diagnosed with and treated for sleep apnea, leading to a large contract and a Super Bowl win.
Elite athlete mentioned as advocating for 8 hours of sleep.
A Major League Baseball team that Dr. Mah has worked with to improve players' sleep, scheduling, and travel.
Partnered with Dr. Mah on the NBA Schedule Alert Project to predict game outcomes based on sleep and travel schedules.
Recommended for creating a dark sleep environment to improve sleep quality.
Suggested as a good pre-sleep snack combining protein and carbohydrates for sustained energy through the night.
Another recommended pre-sleep snack option, offering complex carbs and protein for slow digestion.
A mask that provides air to keep the airway open during sleep, used as a treatment for sleep apnea.
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