Huffington Magazine Issue 41 | Page 84

Exit ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN/NBAE VIA GETTY IMAGES “There is this myth that if you exercise, you can get away with less sleep,” says Dr. David C. Nieman, professor and director of the Appalachian State Human Performance Lab. “Most studies are now showing that if you exercise, you actually need more sleep. It’s pretty much the concept that you need to plug your battery in and restore because the muscles may have been disrupted.” Two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash is renowned for taking exceptional care of his body as his career has advanced deep into his 30s, and napping is a part of his regimen. STRESS LESS HUFFINGTON 03.24.13 [Naps] are a must because the emotions from a game can keep you up until 3 in the morning.” “If you nap every game day, all those hours add up and it allows you to get through the season better,” Nash told The New York Times in 2011 for a piece that named fellow MVP Award winners Bryant and Derrick Rose among those players who rely on napping to stay sharp. “As soon as you start chopping Chris Paul, #13 of the U.S. Men’s Senior National Team, takes a nap prior to a game against Lithuania in 2008.