The future is bright for top-tier college football player J.J. McCarthy as he prepares for the 2024 NFL Draft. Learn more about how quality sleep is fueling his journey.

Going into the 2024 NFL Draft, J.J. McCarthy has placed extra focus on his mental wellbeing, which he supports through quality sleep and meditation.

“If I’m going to perform at my best, my sleep has to be at its best,” said McCarthy.

Quality sleep provides a competitive advantage to McCarthy, as he moves towards the pros. He is excited to join athletes who partner with Sleep Number, because he believes sleep is the foundation of mental, physical and emotional wellbeing.

“It makes a huge difference, the quality of sleep I get,” McCarthy said. “I’m sharp the next day. I wake up ready to attack the day, I’m ready to dictate the day instead of react to it.”

Not only is sleep essential to McCarthy’s regimen, but finding time to practice meditation and mindfulness has been key in his success as a player.

“Stress is inevitable,” McCarthy said.” “Stress is going to be coming from preparing for the next interview I have, coming with the next practice I have…making sure I don’t bounce myself off baseline too much and taking a centered approach to everything is only going to make me easier to adapt and overcome the obstacles that come my way.”

McCarthy says being present through meditation has helped him perform in the most optimal way. His routine includes transcendental meditation for his daily practice, which helps him get back to the present moment.

Before games, McCarthy takes a different approach. He listens to music and envisions the energy he wants to match.

“It improves my everything, so much better every single day,” McCarthy said.

Visit sleepnumber.com/nfl to learn more about how Sleep Number is helping to improve athletes performance through proven quality sleep.

Like diet and exercise, quality sleep is essential for optimal wellbeing and performance. Because everyone's sleep needs are different, Sleep Number^® smart beds sense your movements and automatically adjust firmness, comfort and support to keep you both sleeping comfortably. Find your Sleep Number^® setting for your best possible night's sleep.