Professional hockey player Mike Greenza was a first-round draft pick out of Cornell University, full of youth, talent, and unlimited potential. Midway through his second Nhl season, that potential is still unrealized. He and his team struggle, scraping the bottom of their division. A chance comment by Greenza's little sister, Britt, changes everything. Reacting to her brother's moodiness and fatigue, she reminds him of former professor Dr. Jim Maas, who had been an advisor to his Cornell team and a nationally renowned sleep coach. Told as a fable and filled with performance-enhancing scientific facts for athletes of every level in all sports, Sleep to Win follows Greenza as the season unfolds. He reconnects with Maas, author and world renowned sleep researcher, who schools him in the latest sleep research as it applies to athletes, including * the exact amount of sleep athletes need; * how a specific sleep stage actually enhances what is practiced; * a way to heal (and prevent) injury with extra rest; and * the elements of the perfect pre-game nap. Soon, Mike is skating better and scoring more, his teammates are jumping on the sleep-to-win bandwagon, his coach is becoming a believer, and the entire team is climbing out of the cellar and into the Stanley Cup playoffs-a testament to the power of sleep. Sleep to Win! Secrets to Unlocking your Athletic Excellence in Every Sport By James B. Maas Haley A. Davis AuthorHouse Copyright © 2013 Dr. James B. Maas All right reserved. ISBN: 978-1-4817-0723-7 Contents 1 A Frustrated Athlete..................................12 Winning the Game of Sleep.............................73 Secrets of the Night..................................154 Teenage Walking Zombies...............................235 A Win-Win Situation...................................296 The Dos & Don'ts of Power Napping.....................377 Winning Ways When You're Away.........................458 Sleep Thieves: Drugs and Alcohol......................559 Food for Thought......................................6710 Injury, Recovery & Sleep.............................7511 Giving Nature a Nudge................................8112 A Fairytale Ending?..................................91A References............................................99B Suggested Readings....................................105 Chapter One A Frustrated Athlete My name is Mike Greenza. I'm a professional hockey player–No. 19 with the Philadelphia Flyers. I've been in the league for two years now and am living my dream. Or at least I thought so until I went to my folks' house in Alberta for the holidays and my kid sister, Britt, asked why I seemed so down. "All my friends want to come over when my big, hockeystar brother's in town," she said, "but they've been asking me why you aren't as friendly as you used to be. Are you okay?" I tried covering up my surprise by telling her I was just preoccupied. In the NHL, you always need to be getting better, skating faster and scoring more. It's a lot of pressure, and it keeps you on edge. But deep down I knew it was more than that. Truth be told, I was exhausted–from the training, from the traveling, from everything. I just hadn't realized it was showing. "Sorry Britt. I've actually been having a lot of trouble sleeping lately. I toss and turn, and when I finally do fall asleep, before I know it, my alarm is going off and it's time for practice. If I could only get some decent rest, maybe I'd feel and even play better." Then my kid sister made a brilliant suggestion, something that would ultimately change my career and my life. Why I hadn't thought of it myself proved just how tired I was. "Remember that psychology professor you had in college–the sleep expert?" she said. "You should email him." Professor Myers ... Mong ... Maas! That was his name. I had forgotten about him. He'd been one of my college hockey team's advisors. He spoke to us a few times about "sleeping smarter." You know, that's a really good idea.... To: jbm@powersleep.org From: mGreenza@nhl.org RE: Need some advice Dear Professor Maas, Hope you're doing well. It's Mike Greenza. If you recall, I took a few of your classes and also played hockey for the varsity hockey team about five years ago. Both experiences served me very well, and I'm currently playing for the Flyers in the NHL. I'm writing because I need some advice. Lately, I've been having trouble sleeping. And the more I worry about it, the less rest I seem to get. It's gotten to the point where I'm concerned it may not only be affecting my health but also my performance on the ice. I remember your work with the team, and I was hoping you'd be willing to meet with me and talk some more about this. We'll be playing in Buffalo in two weeks, and I could leave some tickets for you–primo seats right behind the bench. It'll be just like old times! Let me know if you can make it. All the best, Mike Greenza, #19