6/1/2010 | Views: 1628

Research conducted at Stanford’s Sleep Disorders Clinic and Research Laboratory found that athletes who slept more performed better. The study tested Stanford basketball players’ sleep patterns in two phases. During phase one, the athletes maintained their typical sleep patterns; in phase two, they aimed for 10 hours of sleep per night.

During each phase, athletes’ shooting skills and sprinting times were put to the test. Research concluded that when the athletes slept more, their three-point shot accuracy improved from 9.2 out of 15 to 11 out of 15. Free throws also increased—from 7.9 of 10 in phase one to 8.8 of 10 in phase two. Athletes also improved their times by a full second when sprinting 94 yards.

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