A number of studies have been published in the scientific literature focusing on the health of athletes in the National Football League (NFL). A study published in 2003 found an increased prevalence of snoring and sleep apnea and that excessive daytime sleepiness is common in professional football players⁴. A more recent study looked into cardiovascular disease risk factors in professional football players and compared them to subjects in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study⁵.

A study published in the Journal Sleep (vol. 30, No. 7, 2007, p. 866-871) investigated the association between Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) and Type 2 Diabetes. The study, authored by Dr. Giovanni Merlino, MD and colleagues from the University of Udine, Italy, analyzed the characteristics of RLS in diabetic patients and the possible risk factors in the development of RLS in diabetics.