7 Sleeping Tips for Student-Athletes
November 5, 2019
Henry Ford Health System
Many athletes seem to believe time spent not training is time wasted. But, on the contrary.
The time athletes spend resting and sleeping is actually just as important. Take the world’s best female skier, Mikaela Shiffrin, for example. Shiffrin reportedly not only sleeps nine hours each night, but naps at least an hour every day.
So, what does sleeping have to do with her success? When asleep, the body not only has time to recover, but the information that was taken in during the day goes from short-term memory and becomes long term.
“Being an elite athlete is a 24-hour profession, and sleep and recovery are integral to optimal performance,” says Meeta Singh, M.D., a sleep medicine specialist at Henry Ford Health System.
Here are seven tips to help your student athlete catch some Zzzs during the season:
1. Limit caffeine. Caffeine is a popular ingredient in many pre-workout drinks, and many athletes choose to use it for an energy boost. However, having caffeine late in the day may make falling asleep and staying asleep difficult. But, everyone reacts differently to caffeine, so athletes should try logging their intake to determine what time to stop consuming and how much is okay to consume.
2. Maintain a regular sleep schedule. The body has an internal clock that’s largely affected by environment. Going to bed and waking up at approximately the same time each day can add a natural rhythm to the body’s internal clock, which can cause people to feel more awake during the day and fall asleep easily at night.
3. Workout early. Often times, working out later in the day gives people a burst of energy that can keep them up late into the night. For example, exercising after 9 p.m. can boost body temperature, making sleep difficult. However, research shows morning workouts can help achieve deeper sleep, and working out in the afternoon can help reduce insomnia.
4. Unplug. Nothing can keep one up at night like a buzzing smartphone. Additionally, the blue light a phone emits may slow the production of melatonin, making sleep difficult. Advise your children to leave electronics out of reach while they’re sleeping. And as an added bonus: If their phone is their alarm, it will force them out of bed in the mornings.
5. Use essential oils. Essential oils have seen growing popularity in recent years, and this is in part because scent helps trigger memory. Oils can be diffused, rubbed on temples or drops can be spread on pillows. Popular oils for promoting sleep are lavender, valerian root and roman chamomile.
6. Focus on breathing. Focusing on breath can help steady heart rate and relax the body. A popular breathing technique is the 4-7-8 exercise, in which one inhales through the nose for four seconds, holds their breath for seven, and exhales for eight.
7. Keep it dark, cool and quiet. Having the right environment is an important part of falling asleep … and staying asleep.
Ultimately, when it comes to enhancing athletic performance, getting proper sleep, resting and recovering can be just as important as training or hitting the gym.
“Since sleep can modulate reaction time and accuracy, it’s important to ensure an athlete gets his or her Zzzs,” Dr. Singh says.
See also: Is Your Teen Sleep Deprived?
Want to learn more? Henry Ford Health System sports medicine experts are treating the whole athlete, in a whole new way. From nutrition to neurology, and from injury prevention to treatment of sports-related conditions, they can give your athlete a unique game plan.
Visit henryford.com/sports or call (313) 972-4216 for an appointment within 24 business hours.
Century of School Sports: Slogans & Logos Remain Unforgettable Parts of MHSAA History
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 25, 2025
Logos and slogans are meant to stick in your mind – and the MHSAA has created several that have become synonymous with the story of school sports.
When was the first time you saw the MHSAA logo? For me, it was on a ticket to watch my school at the 1993 Girls Basketball Semifinals at Kellogg Arena.
And I thought “Good Sports Are Winners” was just something everybody said about all things sportsmanship. I had no idea it headlined as the first of now several memorable MHSAA statements meant to do precisely what it did inside my teenage head – bury itself in our minds so we would hopefully recall the importance of being a good sport whenever we heard it.
The MHSAA’s “Century of School Sports” have really included only about a half-century of this type of messaging and branding. But no matter if you’ve spent your time with us as an athlete, coach, administrator, official, fan or a combination of those roles, some of what follows should jog your memory – and hopefully stir up plenty of good ones as well.
- Good Sports Are Winners!
Jack Roberts was hired as the MHSAA’s fourth full-time executive director in 1986. His first hire was John Johnson as one of, if not the first-of-a-kind communications director at a high school athletic association in the nation. One of their first undertakings was a campaign to improve sportsmanship – and “Good Sports Are Winners!” became their first and perhaps still most recognizable phrase.
- Sportsmanship Begins At Home
- We Need You To Be A Good Sport!
Sportsmanship is an idea that never graduates, but it also needs to be reintroduced frequently as generations of families make their ways through middle school to high school graduation. These were two more messages meant to encourage appropriate behavior at sporting events.
- Help Wanted: Just Whistle
- You Can Be A Referee
Recruiting and retaining game officials also is an annual drive, and these became part of the slogan-sphere over the last 15 years as those efforts increased due to decreasing numbers. “Be the Referee” became a weekly segment of the “This Week in High School Sports” five-minute show that airs on radio stations all over the state during the fall and winter seasons, and they always end with the call out “You Can Be A Referee” to enlist those who might be interested.
- We Are The MHSAA
This carried a certain boldness when read over the microphone at tournament events, and summed up neatly what being part of the MHSAA was all about. Paraphrasing: “We are … Coaches … administrators … and officials. … We are your school. We promote and protect the privilege of interscholastic competition. We make rules and follow them as a condition of membership. … We Are The MHSAA.”
- Promoting The Value – And Values – Of Educational Athletics
This sums up the MHSAA’s work and remains perhaps the favorite of all slogans used to describe it. We believe educational athletics have value – to participants, to their communities, and to society as a whole because of the adults they help produce. We also believe that educational athletics are reliant on specific values – sportsmanship, scholarship, safety and scope.
Those are the messages you’ve likely heard. But producing an identifiable image with the MHSAA and its work has been just as important – and below are explanations behind some of the familiar logos you see at the top of this page.
- First Logo: A Traditional Emblem (Last Used in 1987-88)
The first MHSAA logo featured the seal from the state flag, with “Michigan High School Athletic Association” surrounding it. It appeared on medals and official documents through the 1987-88 school year.
- The Round Logo: A Recognizable Symbol
In 1988, the MHSAA introduced a circular logo featuring Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas within a red border, with "MHSAA" prominently displayed.
- The Championship Logo: A Mark of Excellence
During the early 2000s, the MHSAA introduced a “championship” logo initially for tournament merchandise. Over time, it became the standard for all championship-related materials.
- The Modern MHSAA Logo: Evolving with Time
Debuting in 1987 – and designed by a pair of Sterling Heights Stevenson students as part of a contest – the modern logo introduced the bold "MHSAA" lettering with an interwoven "S" designed to convey motion and energy. Over time, its contours softened while maintaining its distinctive look. Initially, "Michigan High School Athletic Association" appeared beneath it, but in recent years, the text was removed for a cleaner, more streamlined design.
- The Centennial Celebration Logo
To mark its 100th anniversary, the MHSAA introduced a centennial logo, honoring its history. This commemorative design reflects a century of commitment to student-athletes and school communities.
Previous "Century of School Sports" Spotlights
Feb. 19: MHSAA Tickets Continue to Provide Fan-Friendly Value - Read
Feb. 11: We Recognize Those Who Make Our Games Go - Read
Feb. 4: WISL Conference Continues to Inspire Aspiring Leaders - Read
Jan. 28: Michigan's National Impact Begins at NFHS' Start - Read
Jan. 21: Awards Celebrate Well-Rounded Educational Experience - Read
Jan. 14: Predecessors Laid Foundation for MHSAA's Formation - Read
Jan. 9: MHSAA Blazes Trail Into Cyberspace - Read
Dec. 31: State's Storytellers Share Winter Memories - Read
Dec. 17: MHSAA Over Time - Read
Dec. 10: On This Day, December 13, We Will Celebrate - Read
Dec. 3: MHSAA Work Guided by Representative Council - Read
Nov. 26: Finals Provide Future Pros Early Ford Field Glory - Read
Nov. 19: Connection at Heart of Coaches Advancement Program - Read
Nov. 12: Good Sports are Winners Then, Now & Always - Read
Nov. 5: MHSAA's Home Sweet Home - Read
Oct. 29: MHSAA Summits Draw Thousands to Promote Sportsmanship - Read
Oct. 23: Cross Country Finals Among MHSAA's Longest Running - Read
Oct. 15: State's Storytellers Share Fall Memories - Read
Oct. 8: Guided by 4 S's of Educational Athletics - Read
Oct. 1: Michigan Sends 10 to National Hall of Fame - Read
Sept. 25: MHSAA Record Books Filled with 1000s of Achievements - Read
Sept. 18: Why Does the MHSAA Have These Rules? - Read
Sept. 10: Special Medals, Patches to Commemorate Special Year - Read
Sept. 4: Fall to Finish with 50th Football Championships - Read
Aug. 28: Let the Celebration Begin - Read