The Complete Sleep Guide for College Football Players
Why elite programs treat sleep like a competitive advantage—and the research-backed protocols that actually work.
Founder, Eyes Up
- Sleep deprivation impairs reaction time more than alcohol—and you're competing impaired without knowing it
- 70% of growth hormone is released during deep sleep—skip it and you're leaving gains on the table
- The timing of everything matters: cold exposure, caffeine, screens, practice—get it wrong and you're sabotaging yourself
- Track it or stay blind: you can't fix what you can't see, and self-reported sleep is wildly inaccurate
Why Sleep Matters for Football
Sleep isn't a “nice to have.” It's the foundation everything else sits on. Your reaction time, muscle growth, injury risk, cognitive processing—all of it depends on what happens when you close your eyes.
The Research Is Clear
A 2024 meta-analysis found that sleep deprivation significantly impairs reaction time (P=0.003) while anaerobic power shows no significant difference. Translation: you can still lift heavy on bad sleep, but your brain is compromised. Decision-making, reads, audibles—all slower.
Muscle Growth Requires Sleep
Two anabolic hormones—testosterone and growth hormone—are released during sleep. When sleep is restricted to five hours per night, testosterone levels are significantly reduced in healthy young men.
The major GH secretory pulse occurs just after sleep onset and continues during the first 4 hours. Most GH release occurs during slow-wave (deep) sleep. Skip deep sleep, and you're leaving gains on the table.
Injury Risk Skyrockets
In women's volleyball, a multi-month tracking study found that every injury was preceded by a night of shorter sleep. The authors declared sleep loss an “independent risk factor” for musculoskeletal injury.
In younger athletes, insufficient sleep strongly predicts concussion risk. Athletes sleeping ≤5.8 hours were nearly twice as likely to sustain a sport-related concussion (15.7% vs. 8.8% incidence).
Personal Experience
I went to bed at 3am every night in college. I was great at practice, but I still feel I left gains in the weight room unrealized, and struggled with my GPA. I never made a single 9:30am class during college.
How Sleep Actually Works
Sleep isn't a single state—it's a cycle of phases, each with a specific job. Understanding this helps you optimize for what matters most.
Key Pattern: Deep sleep dominates early cycles (when GH is released). REM increases later. Cut your sleep short and you sacrifice REM—the cognitive processing that makes your QB sharper.
Sleep Cycles (90 Minutes)
Each cycle progresses: Light → Deep → REM → repeat. You go through 4-6 cycles per night. This is why 7.5 hours often feels better than 7—you're completing full cycles instead of waking mid-cycle.
Early cycles are deep-sleep heavy (recovery, GH release). Later cycles are REM-heavy (cognitive processing). Cut your sleep short and you're sacrificing REM.
Deep Sleep: The Recovery Phase
- Growth hormone release—peaks in first 4 hours of sleep
- Muscle protein synthesis—tissue repair happens here
- Motor memory consolidation—the play you installed Thursday doesn't stick without deep sleep
REM Sleep: The Processing Phase
- Cognitive processing—reading defenses, audibles, check-with-me's
- Emotional regulation—handling pressure, staying composed
- Decision-making sharpness—where your QB gets sharper
The Night Game Effect
At the University of Regina, we had a unique situation: we practiced 7-9pm. This was mostly because it was the only chance to get our volunteer coaches there. What we didn't realize at the time was that we were programming our circadian rhythms to peak in the evening.
The Pattern: With evening practices (7-9pm), our bodies peaked around 8pm. Night games aligned with our circadian peak. Afternoon games (1-2pm) forced us to compete at our biological low point—the post-lunch dip when performance naturally drops.
During that time we were exceptional playing night games, even on the road. We never once lost in Vancouver where games were always at night—as late as 9pm Regina time. We almost upset Calgary, who won our conference three years in a row and were the top team in the country. The only time we beat Saskatchewan while I was there were evening games in Regina.
The Afternoon Problem
But any afternoon game? We struggled. I'll never forget losing to an inferior University of Alberta team—last place in the conference—when we were a top team. Any time we had to play in Saskatoon (always a 1pm kickoff), we got slaughtered. Same players. Same preparation. Different kickoff time. Different results.
Our bodies were programmed to peak at 7pm. When kickoff was 1pm, we were playing at our biological low point.
Coach Takeaway
Your practice schedule is programming your players' peak performance window. Are you practicing at the same time you play? If your games are Saturday at 1pm and you're practicing at 7pm all week, you're setting your team up to compete at their biological low point.
The Sleep Killers
Most sleep problems in football aren't discipline issues—they're environment and schedule design. Here's what's probably hurting you.
Blue Light After Dark
Screens suppress melatonin production. Film sessions on bright projectors at 9pm tell your brain it's daytime. The phone scroll in bed compounds it.
Caffeine Timing
Half-life is 5-6 hours. Half your 3pm pre-workout is still in your system at 9pm. Energy drinks are worse—sugar plus caffeine.
The Cold Plunge Mistake
“We overused the cold tub. I would cold plunge after every training session and every practice at 9pm. It made me great at practice, but I was wired at night.”
Cold exposure raises cortisol and adrenaline—great for waking up, terrible for winding down.
Alcohol
“I sleep great after a few beers”—no you don't. Alcohol sedates you but destroys REM and deep sleep. 6 hours of drunk sleep is not 6 hours of real sleep.
The Roommate Problem
Gaming until 3am, different schedules, light and noise pollution. Dorm life isn't designed for athletes.
Road Game Sabotage
“Film in the hotel with a bright projector. Then 7-Eleven for snacks. Sugar and TV in the hotel room. None of it seemed wrong, but almost no chance to get good sleep the night before a road game.”
Every road game protocol sets teams up to fail. Bright screens, sugar, unfamiliar environment, nerves—it's fixable with intention.
What to Actually Do
These protocols are based on sleep science research, applied specifically to football players. Click each one to expand.
Spikes cortisol and dopamine naturally. Fixes any melatonin grogginess instantly. This is the most important habit to build.
Sets your circadian clock for the day. Even overcast light works. This makes you sleepy at the right time tonight.
Let adenosine clear naturally first. Coffee hits harder when you wait. Prevents the afternoon crash.
The CFL Transition
When I went to the CFL, I was terrified of morning practices. I'd been a 3am guy for years. But practicing early in the day, getting lots of sunlight during the day, and not cold plunging at 9pm anymore—I became a morning person instantly.
You may not be cold plunging at 9pm like me, but you're likely doing other things wrong. Fix the environment, and the sleep follows.
What Actually Works
Supplements That Work
- Magnesium Glycinate (200-400mg) — muscle relaxation, sleep quality
- Low-dose Melatonin (0.5-1mg) — for travel/disruption only, not daily
- ZMA — usually underdosed magnesium
- "Sleep blend" supplements — too many ingredients, none at effective doses
- High-dose melatonin (3-10mg) — overkill, causes grogginess
- CBD — research mixed, NCAA status complicated
Blue Blockers
Room Setup
- • Hotel: Binder clips to seal curtain gaps
- • Dorm: Blackout curtains ($20-30) or sleep mask ($10)
- • Target: 65-68°F (18-20°C)
- • Most dorms run hot—box fan helps
- • White noise app or fan
- • Masks roommate/hotel noise
- • Charge across room, not nightstand
- • Remove the temptation entirely
The Melatonin Trick
Melatonin can make you groggy in the morning. This is instantly fixed with the most important habit to build: cold shower first thing in the morning. The cold spikes cortisol and dopamine naturally, clearing any grogginess immediately.
Tracking Your Sleep
“You can't improve what you don't measure.” Self-reported sleep is wildly inaccurate—everyone thinks they sleep fine. Data reveals patterns you can't see: bad Thursday nights, road game impact, the slow decline before you get sick.
What to Track
| Metric | Target | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 8-9 hrs | Athletes need more than general population |
| Efficiency | 85%+ | Time asleep ÷ time in bed |
| Deep Sleep % | 15-20% | Recovery, GH release |
| REM % | 20-25% | Cognitive processing |
| HRV Trend | Personal baseline | <3% weekly CV = aerobically fit |
| Resting HR | Watch for elevation | Illness/overtraining signal |
Oura vs WHOOP for Sleep
For football players who want sleep visibility without a wristband during practice, we recommend Oura Ring. Wear it at night, take it off for practice. You don't want titanium on your finger when catching balls or throwing a punch in the trenches.
Oura has 94% agreement with polysomnography for sleep staging—comparable to medical-grade devices.
Full comparison: Oura vs WHOOP →The Illness Early Warning
Temperature and HRV changes can flag when you're getting sick 24-48 hours before symptoms appear. In a football locker room, this is huge. One sick player can spread flu or COVID through the entire roster. Catching illness early means isolating players before they infect teammates—protecting your depth chart when it matters most.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to take sleep seriously?
Whether you track with Oura, WHOOP, or just a consistent routine—the data only matters if you act on it. EYES UP helps teams turn sleep scores into cultural accountability.
Learn More About EYES UP