GQ: The Art of the NBA Nap
Love of napping is about so much more than science!
A few weeks back, I found a sports-related article that resonated with me: “The Art of the NBA Nap,” written by Howard Beck and published by GQ. Despite not being a sports fan, I found the article captivating and told Beck so on a recent call after an old friend of mine and former colleague of his connected us.
I really appreciate how Beck tips his hat to the science but really focuses on what he calls the art of the nap:1
What about the room, the lighting, the pre-nap routine? What makes for the best nap? Do you need the right PJs? A white-noise app? What happens if the nap goes awry? And, uh, how do you get to sleep in the first place?
I was pleased to let him know that we’ve addressed these sorts of questions and more. I also enjoyed the other topics that came up in his conversations with players and coaches, including:
lighting - most prefer darkness
temperature - most like it cold
cheat codes - some like background noise (music, white noise or other background apps,2 TV — particularly, 90’s sit-coms or YouTube videos of old NBA drafts); one player swears by an aromatherapy device
preparation - some undergo physical or “alternating hot and cold” type treatments, whereas others focus on mental preparation through deep breathing or meditation
Kudos to Beck for a well-written piece on a subject that’s near and dear to my heart! Maybe he’ll pop up on a Featured Guest Friday one of these days…
Before I named TND, I’d though that The Art and Science of the Nap would make for a good book title — I suppose it still might some day!
I’m partial to “rain on tent.”