Oh, January. Where did you go?
Even though our New Year’s resolutions are barely visible in the rearview mirror anymore, there are still three months left to turn ourselves into the lean, mean workout machines we set out to become in 2014.
The key to a strong finish could be hidden between the proverbial sheets where LeBron James, Roger Federer and other world-class athletes sleep like the dead and recover like champions.
All-Star Sleepers
LeBron James
‘King’ James made headlines when he took his talents to South Beach. His decision paid off. The high school-to-NBA-baller won two NBA championships with the Miami Heat before heading back home to the Cleveland Cavaliers for the next seasons. Love him or hate him, LeBron is building one of the greatest careers in NBA history. He currently is only one of three players to average 30 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists in a single season. Could sleep be part of his secret? LeBron sleeps an average of 12 hours per night.
Photo courtesy of Urbansplatter.com
Lebron half-day sleep sessions make him captain of our sleep dream team. Science says the former high school phenomena benefits specifically from his sleep. Researchers at Stanford University discovered that basketball players who slept 10 hours per night saw significant increases in their shooting percentages: They hit 9.2 percent more three-pointers and converted 9 percent more free-throws. Looks like Lebron took full advantage, converting 439 of them last season. It never hurts to score a little more, doesn’t it?
Roger Federer
When Roger Federer isn’t pounding forehands toward the baseline or weaving his way to the net, you’ll probably find him sound asleep in his bedroom.
Photo courtesy of Worldsport.com
The Swiss tennis legend reached 23 straight Grand Slam semifinals at one point in his career. Fed has won Wimbledon 7 times, the U.S. Open 5 times, the Australian Open 4 times and the French Open once. The headbanded trophy-hoister sleeps an average of 11 to 12 hours per night.
Heather Mitts
If there was a gold medal to be had in women’s soccer in the past three Olympics, Heather Mitts was there to take it.
Photo courtesy of nwslsoccer.com
The defender won three golds during her time on the US Olympic team, giving her what LeBron and Federer will most likely never achieve: the golden triple. She’s only one of three American women to have won three gold medals. Mitts was also a part of the U.S. Women’s National Team World Cup run in 2011 and earned more than 100 caps with the national team. Mitts, a self-proclaimed sleep fanatic and a new mother, sleeps 8-10 hours a night.
The Mattress for Champions
But it’s not only important to sleep more, it’s also important to pick the right mattress to sleep well.
Somnium mattresses do two things you won’t find in other mattresses: They are designed to allow your body to move naturally in your sleep — rather than confining you in one position. That ensures proper blood flow as well as the supply of nutrients so your body can properly repair muscles and connective tissue. At the same time, our mattress provides zone-specific support to your hips, spine and shoulders.
You’ll wake up feeling ready to take on whatever comes your way — Kevin Durant, Rafael Nadal, an entire women’s national team or an energetic toddler. We’ll leave it up to you to decide which one is the toughest opponent.