We all know how much鈥攁nd how well鈥攜ou sleep affects both your athletic and professional performance. found that basketball players鈥 free-throw and three-point-shot accuracy increased by 9 percent when they slept an extra 108 minutes per night.
But becoming a better sleeper isn鈥檛 easy.
So I called Cheri Mah, author of the basketball study and a research fellow at UC San Francisco, for advice on what gear to buy to boost sleep quality.
鈥淎dequate sleep is essential鈥攊t鈥檚 as important as training or nutrition,鈥 says Mah. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 easier said than done, because sleep is the first thing that gets sacrificed when you have so many things to juggle.鈥 Athletes should try to get eight to ten hours of sleep per night, says Mah. The following seven products will help you make each hour count.
Pillow

鈥淪ome people prefer to take their own pillow traveling,鈥 says Mah. If you travel light and can鈥檛 afford the extra room, ask the hotel management what kind of pillows they use. Many offer different options, and if you have a preference鈥攍ike foam or down鈥攈aving the right pillow can vastly improve sleep quality when you鈥檙e on the road.
We like:听听($92)
This pillow has a moisture-wicking cover and air gussets to help you shed nighttime heat.
Earplugs

An ideal sleep environment is a quiet one, but not everyone has the luxury of quiet room. Whether you live near a busy street or share a bed with a snoring partner, you can block out the noise with earplugs.
We like: 听($6)
I鈥檝e been traveling with Mack鈥檚 earplugs for the past decade. The silicone plugs mold perfectly into my ears, giving just the right amount of noise protection. Bonus: They pull double duty while I鈥檓 surfing or kayaking because they鈥檙e waterproof.
Fan

鈥淐ooler temperature is associated with better sleep quality,鈥 says Mah. A fan is an effective, inexpensive way to regulate the temperature in your bedoom.
We like: ($30)
It鈥檚 inexpensive, quiet, and has a small footprint, making winter storage easy.
Comfy Mattress or Mattress Cover

A mattress should be comfortable.听It should also sleep cool. Many athletes perspire at night, Mah says, so ensuring that you have a cool bedroom and comfortable bedding can boost sleep quality.
We like: ($190)
This Novaform mattress topper costs about a tenth of a brand-name memory听foam mattress without sacrificing any of the plush, enveloping feel. Nice touch: The side is infused with gel designed to pull heat away from your body and circulate air for a cooler night鈥檚 sleep.
Sleep Tracker

鈥淪ome consumer devices have helped people learn about and be more cognizant of how many hours they sleep,鈥 says Mah. 鈥淚f you wake up and stop to think about how you slept for 10 more seconds in the morning than you would have otherwise, that鈥檚 a step in the right direction to get healthy sleep every day.鈥
We like: Fitbit Surge ($250)
I鈥檝e been testing the 听for months and have been impressed with its data tracking, but I was听particularly interested in how well it monitors sleep. One tester听realized he鈥檇 toss around for 45 minutes after his aging dog鈥檚 3 a.m. pee breaks.
Eye Mask

鈥淓ye masks are good if you travel or are on the road a lot,鈥 says Mah. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a good idea to bring your own in case blackout curtains are not available where you鈥檙e staying.鈥
We like: ($11)
This mask lightly cups your eyes and has a more adjustable head strap than any of its competitors I鈥檝e tested.
Blackout Curtains

Sure, blocking morning light will help you sleep longer, but it鈥檒l also help you sleep better. 鈥淢orning sunlight can affect sleep, and often people may not realize that light may be disrupting their sleep,鈥 says Mah.
We like:听听($16)听
I don鈥檛 pretend to be an interior designer, but when it comes to utility-to-price ratio, it鈥檚 hard to beat these $16 blackout curtains. They block 99 percent of outside light and 40 percent of outside noise.