Bleacher Report – Next Big Thing: Sleep Science Is Becoming the NFL's Secret Weapon

Sleep is becoming the elite athlete’s secret weapon, and the NFL is just starting to discover how to harness its potential.

Gary McCoy, a sports science consultant for many NFL teams over the last few years, watched a pair of receivers sweat their way through a training camp session in 2015. One receiver was a celebrated veteran, the other a speedy young up-and-comer. Both wore high-tech sensors that monitored their heart rates, body temperatures and physical stresses during the intense practice. The sensors confirmed that the stress data for each receiver was roughly equal: Practice was just as hard for both of them.