Expert sleep tips used by pro footballers to play better

EXPERT:Nick is regarded as one of the leading elite sports sleep coaches in world sport.

It's true, a good night's sleep works wonders. But for pro football players, an early night just isn't enough.

With revolutionary sleeping techniques quickly advancing, top clubs are seeking professional advice.

The man who has redefined sleep is Nick Littlehales. With 30+ years in the elite sports industry, Nick has worked with some of the biggest football clubs in the world providing expert sleep tips.

Nick's success started with a letter he wrote to Alex Ferguson. He asked what Manchester United did to help players sleep, but the response was short. The club did nothing. This allowed the sleep master to show his expertise.

The first to benefit were Gary Pallister and Ryan Giggs in 1989. Nick told them about mattresses to treat their back and hamstring problems. His advice saved United a lot of money.

It wasn't long until Nick played a crucial role in Manchester United's match recovery. Working alongside the physios, he changed the structure of how the club ran it's sleeping arrangements.

Nick always focused on productivity. He coached all levels of the football club, making sure they grasped that marginal gain over their opponent.

I coach everyone from the Kitman to the CEO - they all need to know the importance of sleep.

Sport Sleep Coach - Nick Littlehales

Nick also advised the likes of Real Madrid. He delivered workshops with Carlo Ancelotti and inspected all 81 bedrooms at their training ground.

Have you ever heard of the Spanish taking a siesta? The short nap from 1-3 pm is very common in warm-weather countries. As well as a break from the heat, it actually aids recovery and a natural sleeping pattern.

Following Nick's advice, all footballers should follow in Spain's footsteps. The ideal sleeping pattern should have multiple sleep periods in a day. This is because of our body's sleep-wake cycles.

Each sleep-wake cycle lasts 90 minutes and consists of 5 stages of sleep. According to research, you could actually have five separate 90-minute periods of rest throughout the day. As long as it adds up to 7.5 hours, our experts say you'll be raring to go.

Sleep needs to be in 90-minute cycles rather than hours.

Sport Sleep Coach - Nick Littlehales

But in the real world, who actually has time for five sleeps a day? This might be used in top-level football, but for the most, with commitments such as work and school, just having one or two sleeps a day is the norm.

There are still things you can do to improve your sleep cycle. The environment around you is a big factor. Light, exercise, social activity and temperature all affect your body clock.

Little things like covering the red standby light on the TV screen help players switch off. Players are also advised to stay off electrical devices 90 minutes before they go to bed. Social media talk can keep their mind active, and the blue-light keeps their brain alert.

In fact, any exposure to light keeps you awake. Light reduces the sleep hormone, Melatonin, which the brain produces when it's dark.

Something else to consider is your Chronotype . This is whether you are more awake in the morning or evening. Once you know what type of sleeper you are, you can plan your day and sleeping patterns better.

With players travelling all over the place to compete, with varying wake up and kick-off times, clubs have to ensure their players aren't too disrupted when it comes to rest and recovery.

Any change in their sleeping patterns can have catastrophic consequences. A restless night can weaken the immune system and bring on illness.

How bad sleep can have these shocking effects on football performance

By making small changes to your sleeping arrangements, you can make a big difference on game-day.

Work on 10 little changes, which amounts to a much bigger change overall.

Sport Sleep Coach - Nick Littlehales

It's no coincidence that the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are consistently breaking records. It's because this new breed of footballer approaches things differently.

Focusing efforts on a wide range of techniques to improve the body and its function makes a difference. It's no longer just about footy skills.

Final Note

Follow Nick's tips and focus on 10 little changes. Who knows what difference it'll make to your game.