Even at the age of 39, Cristiano Ronaldo still scores a lot of goals – 50 in 56 games for Al Nassr.
The Portuguese's dedication to being the best is unmatched, and much of his success is thanks to his daily routine. He remains in incredible physical condition and is well on his way to playing well into his 40s.
Cristiano pays close attention to his diet and training, but he also puts a lot of emphasis on his recovery. When Ronaldo was banging goals at Real Madrid, he began working with 'sleep coach' Nick Littlehales and the specialist stressed the importance of naps.
The Portuguese captain usually takes short naps of one and a half hour each throughout the day, sleeping in the fetal position. He does it five-six times a day, also relaxing with his friends after dinner and having a 'swimming session' at 10 p.m. He then takes a nap until midnight and another short burst of sleep around 3 a.m. before waking up for the day.
It is claimed that short periods of sleep are a better method to rest than the recommended eight hours per night.
"It's not a nap – a nap is something for old people as they watch TV. This one is a way to sleep less but improve recovery," Littlehales said about the sleep cycle, via Record.
"Footballers have a private life. The sport they play is very strenuous and it will continue to be that way in the future. Many young athletes I work with suffer from insomnia, anxiety, stress and all the things that come with the world of sports."
When Ronaldo moved to Saudi Arabia, he had to adjust his schedule as teams trained later in the day because of the heat.
"The biggest difference I noticed in Saudi Arabia is obviously the heat and adjusting the schedule to train later in the day when it's cooler. But I'm really used to it now," the 39-year-old told LiveScore.
