5 Ways to Get the Most From Your Sleep

Sleep is so easy to take for granted, and many of us do, but science continues to show how important sleep is for a healthy mind and body. So I was excited to welcome Andre Iguodala and Dr. Cheri Mah to a TIME100 Talks: Health on how we can get the most from our sleep. Andre, a three-time NBA champion with a 14-year career in the league, is a long-time advocate for the importance of sleep. He met Cheri, a physician-scientist at University of California, San Francisco, through his team trainers and she helped him to re-think sleep and change his sleep habits.

Before we got into how he changed his sleep habits, Andre shared his thoughts on the long-overdue discussions about social and racial injustice that are happening around this country, and how critical this movement is for triggering lasting change. He provided a poignant personal example of how systemic racism is in our country, and discussed the changes he has seen during his career, as well as what changes still need to be made for true social equity.

I invited Cheri to join the conversation and talk about what happened after Andre started sleeping better. And, as they discuss, it was pretty remarkable. Cheri works with professional athletes and instead of simply advising people how to improve the quality of their sleep, she documents how those changes can impact their performance—both mental and physical—which Andre definitely noticed after becoming a better sleeper.

Their tips for getting more out of your sleep aren’t just for elite athletes. Here is Andre’s and Cheri’s advice for sleeping better and living a healthier life.