We’ve probably all been guilty of thinking it, as we sit on the sofa watching the big game or playing in a rec league sport – given enough effort and dedication, we could probably do what they do, right? OK, realistically, we know better. But professional athletes aren’t really that much different from us, are they?
Actually, they are.
Of course, pro athletes are far more fit and (at least theoretically) healthier than your average Joe. But there are actually a lot of physical differences between athletes and everyone else, even people who exercise regularly. Take, for example, eyesight – a survey done a few years ago by an optometrist who works with athletes found that, while more than half of Americans under the age of 24 need vision correction, less than a quarter of professional athletes do, on average.
These differences can work in the other direction, too. Football players tend to be much bigger overall than average men of the same age; this may explain why they are slightly more likely to suffer from sleep apnea (24% to 33%). More than just an inconvenience, untreated sleep apnea can lead to headaches, lack of energy, and even a higher risk for heart attack. Many professional football players are recognizing the warning signs and discovering how using a CPAP machine can help them feel and play better.
We pulled together some other interesting statistics about professional football players and how they compare to the average Joe. Some of these numbers might just surprise you!
There are a lot of different ways that football players and other pro athletes are different from the rest of us, whether it’s a matter of training and dedication or advantages that they’re naturally born with. But keeping a healthy lifestyle and sleeping right – including getting a sleep apnea test if your doctor recommends it and following up with proper CPAP compliance – can make us all winners.
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