The NFL should use the NBA pregame ritual like All-Star point guard Steve Nash at 37 who knows that decline may come fast at his age. But his solution is not to increase his conditioning or to lift more weights. Instead, he plans to increase his naptime. Yes, napping is quickly becoming an element of NBA life as common as a 3-point shot.

“If you nap every game day, all those hours add up and it allows you to get through the season better,” Nash said. “I want to improve at that, so by the end of the year, I feel better.”

Nash is among a great majority of N.B.A. players who swear by their pregame nap. They set aside 20 minutes as a part of their pregame ritual. Most are interested in its restorative benefits, although a few may just be trying to counter boredom. Whatever the reason, balls stop bouncing and shoes stop screeching every afternoon.

“Everyone in the league office knows not to call players at 3 p.m.,” said Adam Silver, the league’s deputy commissioner. “It’s the player nap.”

In the United States, napping is often stigmatized, seen as evidence of laziness or a lack of purpose. But in the world of sports, and certainly in the N.B.A., the attitude is entirely different.

For more information on the article in The New York Times: Click here..

By listening to Speed Sleep repeatedly you will quickly:
Achieve deep sleep within minutes
Awaken refreshed, even during the day, from a 25 minute Speed Sleep nap
Discover new sources of physical energy and mental sharpness
Minimize the effects of jet lag when traveling