The NFL’s health and safety initiatives aim to improve sleep quality and prevent injuries, but good sleep is becoming a critical issue for many players, who are increasingly tired and struggling to get enough sleep, according to the league.
“Good sleep is really important to us,” commissioner Roger Goodell said in an interview with USA TODAY Sports.
“But it’s also critical to our players, and to their families.
We know that players need more and more time out of the house, and we know that they need to have a good night’s sleep.
But they also need to be able to go out and be healthy and do what they do best.
And that’s how we’re going to get better sleep for everyone.”
It was the first time Goodell had said good sleep has been the focus of the NFL since he took over the league in 2016.
Since then, the league has implemented sleep-saving devices like night stands and personal nap pods, but the majority of the players who play remain stuck on their usual routines.
In the NFL, good sleep quality is measured in terms of the amount of time spent sleeping and how much sleep they get per night, and the average NFL player is about eight hours less than the national average.
It is the best-known metric of the night.
The NFL has been making strides in addressing the issue of poor sleep since it announced a new policy to increase the number of sleep-deprived players and coaches.
In December, the NFL agreed to a four-year contract extension that will keep Goodell as commissioner through 2028.
The deal includes a $12 million bonus for each of the next five years.
The new policy was first announced in January, and Goodell said the league’s efforts have been “incredible.”
“We’re not there yet, but we’ve got a lot more work to do,” Goodell said.
“We’re going after sleep-driving, we’re talking about good sleep, we’ve just got to do it with more urgency and more urgency.”
The new contract, which was first reported by the New York Times, also includes a new sleep management strategy for coaches, players and employees.
The NFL will be able set its own standards for how long a player should sleep, as well as how many hours he or she should be awake during the night, according, the union has said.
The league’s new policy is also meant to address the growing number of players with chronic sleep problems, which have been linked to injuries, depression and poor performance.
A new study by the International Sleep Foundation in March found that chronic sleep disorders can increase the risk of chronic injuries, including hip and knee injuries, and increase the risks of depression, substance abuse and poor cognitive performance.
The study, which looked at 6,500 players across five professional sports, found that about 1 in 10 athletes had a chronic sleep disorder, including a third of those with an anxiety disorder.
The study found that the prevalence of sleep problems increased for both men and women.
Sleep problems can lead to problems with concentration and memory, which can lead players to miss practices, play less than expected or miss games because of fatigue, according the NFLPA.
Goodell said a new contract would address sleep issues and other concerns for players.
“Our players have a huge stake in this,” Goodell told USA TODAYSports.
“This is a very big issue for them, and they’re frustrated.
They want to play.
They’re really tired.
They don’t want to get hurt.
And I think there’s a real desire to address this.
I think they want to be part of that solution.”
The NFLPA is also pushing for the league to improve the sleep habits of all of its players, including those who have chronic sleep issues.
Players who are sleeping less than usual are the most likely to have chronic medical conditions, the organization said in a statement.
“This is not just a sleep problem for players,” the union said.
“The fact that players are experiencing fatigue and are missing games because they don’t get enough rest, they’re not getting enough sleep,” Goodell added.
“They’re not sleeping enough, and that’s really affecting them.”
The union said it has also requested the league adopt a more holistic approach to improving the sleep of its athletes.
The union said the changes would include new measures to help players maintain a better night’s rest, better sleep hygiene, better access to personal sleep products, and increased sleep quality education for players and teams.
