Chris Winter’s path to becoming a world-renowned sleep doctor began when he was a child. When the power went out in a blizzard and he and his family were huddled up in sleeping bags around their stove, he wondered, “Does everyone like to sleep as much as me?” Fast forward 20 or so years and Chris was studying at the University of Virginia, wondering what branch of medicine to specialize in. A biology credit advisor suggested that he help out a sleep specialist, Paul Serratt. One day, Chris said, “It’d be cool to study how sleep affects athletes.” His mentor replied, “Chris, this is the best thing about it – anything you can think about with sleep research hasn’t been done yet.” Just like that, Chris decided what he wanted to do with his career.
During his first year of practice,Chris heard that the Montreal Expos were playing half their games in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and realized this would be the perfect opportunity to study how jet lag and circadian rhythm disruption impacts sports performance. This kicked off what would become one of the largest sleep studies of pro athletes, with Chris compiling data from more than 22,000 MLB games over nine years. The San Francisco Giants saw a news report quoting Chris when he presented his research and hired him as a consultant, and soon afterward the Oklahoma City Thunder did likewise. He has since worked with the Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, Charlotte Hornets, and Washington Wizards, as well as the Washington Mystics in the WNBA.
In this episode, Chris shares:
What you can do to sleep longer and better without medication
How sleep improves physical performance and emotional wellbeing
Why sleep is a secret weapon that helps NBA veterans stay in the league and young players make the cut
How travel gives one team a circadian advantage and what that means for when you cross time zones
What coaches, physical therapists, and other practitioners can do to improve their athletes’ sleep
Learn more from Chris by reading his books The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child, and by following him on Twitter @drchriswinter
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