Red Sox Introduce New "Sleep Room" At Fenway Park For Players To Take Better Naps

With teams looking to exploit every possibility for a competitive advantage, it’s not surprising that one basic indicator of physical performance has been getting some more attention lately: sleep. The Red Sox are one team that’s taken notice, and they’re getting really into it.

Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe has a story this weekend describing the team’s commitment to a (sponsored) relationship with a “performance bedding” company. The Red Sox were already encouraging players to nap—with a nap station set up at the ballpark—but now they’re apparently encouraging them to use special equipment to do so.

This means that players spent the week testing mattresses, getting fitted for pillows and choosing their personal favorites from a selection of blankets and sheets. (Hanley Ramirez, for one, realized that his mattress at home is too soft and bought a new one.) The new gear will be used to deck out a fully renovated sleep room at Fenway—oak floors, exposed brick and a variety of pillows to suit players’ preferences, compared to what was just a room with four beds last year.

Cool stuff, but a truly talented napper can practice their craft anywhere, “performance bedding” be damned.

[ Boston Globe]