The Importance of Sleep for an NFL Quarterback: Inside Patrick Mahomes’ Nightly Routine

Sleep is crucial for peak athletic performance at any level of sport, but perhaps even more so in the high-intensity, fast-paced world of the NFL.

With players facing grueling practice schedules, demanding physical training regimens, and the mental and emotional toll of gamedays, quality sleep is essential for recovery, focus, decision making, and injury prevention.

For Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, considered by many to be the best player in the NFL, optimizing his sleep has been a key part of his strategy for success both on and off the field.

Through diligent effort and discipline, Mahomes has developed a consistent nightly routine focused on winding down his mind and body to get the deep, restorative sleep his position demands.

The Importance of Sleep for an NFL Quarterback

As the quarterback and leader of the offense, an NFL signal caller faces unique mental and physical stresses. They must process a complex playbook, read defenses pre-snap, make split-second decisions under pressure, and deliver accurate passes—all while evading would-be tacklers weighing 300 pounds.

Research has shown the cognitive benefits of sleep for tasks like memory, problem-solving, and quick decision making. Lack of sleep has been linked to slower reaction times, lapses in focus, and increased risk of injury. For a quarterback, these effects could mean the difference between a touchdown pass and an interception, or absorbing a hard hit versus sidestepping the rush.

Sleep also aids the recovery process after tough practices and games. As the leader of the offense, QBs often take more hits than their stats may indicate. Getting sufficient sleep allows the body to repair muscle damage and reduce soreness, inflammation, and risk of overtraining injuries.

 Mahomes’ Early Focus on Sleep

From an early age, Mahomes recognized the importance of rest for his development as a quarterback. Even in high school, he followed a consistent pre-bed routine focused on winding down his mind and body for optimal rest.

“I’ve always tried to get to bed early, around 10 o’clock, and get a good night’s sleep,” Mahomes said. “Especially being a quarterback, you have to have your mind and body well-rested.”

In college at Texas Tech, Mahomes continued prioritizing sleep alongside his rigorous football and workout schedule. He credits getting 8-9 hours per night as key to handling the physical and mental demands of being a starter.

“I learned in college that taking care of my body and getting enough sleep was so important. It allowed me to train hard and recover fully so I could perform at my best on Saturdays,” Mahomes recalled.

Mahomes’ Nightly Routine in the NFL

Now as the star quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs, Mahomes remains disciplined about optimizing his sleep to perform at an elite level. Here’s a typical look at his nightly routine:

**6 PM – Dinner:** Mahomes aims to finish eating 2-3 hours before bed to allow for full digestion. He focuses on balanced, protein-rich meals to aid recovery from workouts and practices.

**6:30 PM – Family Time:** Mahomes spends quality time with his wife Brittany and daughter Sterling to unwind from the day. Low-key activities like reading books help relax his mind.

**7:30 PM – Blue Light Glasses:** Mahomes puts on blue light-blocking glasses to filter out wavelengths that suppress melatonin production. This helps signal his body for sleep.

**8 PM – Relaxing Hobbies:** Mahomes may play video games, watch movies/TV, or journal at this time. Activities are relaxing versus stressful to avoid ramping up his system.

**9 PM – Nightly Snack:** Brittany says Mahomes’ pre-bed ritual includes a bag of Flamin’ Hot Doritos. The light snack is easily digestible to avoid disrupting sleep.

**9:30 PM – Bedtime Routine:** Mahomes showers, brushes his teeth, applies a moisturizing face mask, and gets into cozy pajamas and bedsheets.

**10 PM – Lights Out:** Mahomes aims to be asleep by 10 PM to get a full 8 hours before his 5 AM wake up for training. He avoids screens and stimulants in the hour before bed.

## The Science Behind Mahomes’ Routine

Mahomes’ nightly schedule incorporates several sleep hygiene practices backed by scientific research:

– **Avoiding Large Late Meals:** Eating within 2-3 hours of bed allows full digestion to occur without disrupting sleep quality.

– **Low-Key Evenings:** Stress-inducing activities are replaced with relaxing pastimes to lower cortisol and promote the release of calming melatonin and serotonin.

– **Blue Light Glasses:** Blue wavelengths signal the brain to stay alert versus preparing for sleep. Blocking blue light in evenings helps set the circadian rhythm.

– **Bed By 10 PM:** Sticking to a consistent wake and sleep schedule helps regulate the body’s natural circadian processes for better quality rest.

– **Dark, Cool Bedroom:** A dark, quiet, cool sleep environment promotes the release of sleep-inducing hormones and body temperature drop required for restorative rest.

– **Relaxing Bedtime Routine:** Unwinding activities like showering and skincare signal the brain it’s time to relax and transition to sleep.

By adhering to proven sleep hygiene practices, Mahomes optimizes his chances of getting deep, restorative rest to handle the physical and mental demands of being an NFL quarterback. His diligent nightly routine plays a key supporting role in his success on the field.

The Importance of Consistency

For Mahomes, consistency is just as important as the specific elements of his pre-bed routine. Sticking to a regular schedule helps regulate his circadian rhythm and promotes a regular sleep-wake cycle.

“I try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on my days off,” Mahomes said. “Being consistent with my sleep helps me feel well-rested and recover fully so I’m ready to train hard again the next day.”

Irregular sleep patterns can disrupt the body’s natural circadian processes and hormone releases related to sleep onset, duration, and quality. For an athlete, inconsistent sleep adds to performance impairments from disruption of recovery, focus, reaction time and more.

By keeping a regular schedule seven days a week, Mahomes’ circadian rhythm remains optimized year-round for his sporting and family demands. Even with a busy travel schedule during the season, he prioritizes sticking to his typical routine as much as possible no matter his location.

Monitoring and Adjusting Sleep Needs

While Mahomes aims for 8 hours of sleep per night on average, he also listens to his body’s needs and makes adjustments when needed. If he feels excessively fatigued, he may increase his sleep by 30 minutes to recover fully from intense training.

To monitor his sleep quality and duration, Mahomes uses a wearable sleep tracker. Devices like the Oura Ring can track stages of sleep, heart rate variability, respiratory rate and other metrics to reveal if he’s getting deep, restorative rest.

“If my sleep tracker shows I had a lot of disruptions one night, I know I need to scale back my workload and get to bed earlier to recover,” Mahomes said. “It’s a helpful tool for optimizing my sleep.”

The data also helps Mahomes identify lifestyle factors affecting his sleep, like late-night eating or stress levels. By making minor adjustments, he can address issues and get back to high quality, consistent rest.

Supporting His Routine’s Success

While Mahomes’ diligence with his nightly routine plays a big role, support from his wife Brittany also contributes to his ability to prioritize sleep. She helps manage their home life and schedule to allow him focus on training and recovery.

“Brittany makes sure our daughter and I are set each night before bed so I can fully relax,” Mahomes said. “Having that support removes distractions and makes sticking to my routine much easier.”

Brittany also ensures a peaceful sleep environment by keeping their bedroom cool, dark and quiet. She handles any nighttime needs from their daughter so Mahomes can sleep undisturbed for as long as he requires.

The Chiefs organization also supports Mahomes with resources like access to sleep specialists and sleep doctors. They provide education on optimizing sleep for performance as well as addressing any issues like jet lag from travel that could disrupt his routine.

With diligent effort, monitoring, adjustments as needed and support both at home and professionally, Mahomes has developed a nightly routine that serves as an important pillar of his success on the field as one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks. His focus on sleep recovery offers an example of maximizing athletic potential through rest.