By Lori Nickel
Original Article: Journal Sentinel
November 18, 2014
Green Bay — Aaron Rodgers possesses NFL records, a Super Bowl ring and an MVP trophy. He's on fire this season, leading the Green Bay Packers to an NFL-best 33 points a game.
But he's always looking to evolve, as a person and as a quarterback, and by tweaking a few health and wellness habits in the last year, he said he feels so good he has convinced himself he can play well into his late 30s and even his 40s.
Hot yoga. Vitamins. Limits on caffeine. Sleep. Proper hydration and detoxifying juice cleanses. Living by the 80-20 rule — and cutting back on pizza. It all has helped Rodgers look ahead to his 31st birthday Dec. 2 feeling like he's in the best shape of his life with some of his best games ahead of him.
"If you're taking care of your body and getting the proper nutrition, and sleeping well, you're going to be fit to play," said offensive coordinator Tom Clements. "And you're going to maintain that fitness for years."
For Rodgers, getting to this good place with his wellness started with getting enough sleep.
"Sleeping in general has always been a little difficult for me," said Rodgers. A good night for him used to be about 61/2 hours. "I just have a hard time turning my mind off, I think."
He started using ZMA, a vitamin supplement that includes zinc, magnesium and aspartate that can act as a muscle relaxer. "The ZMA puts you in the deeper sleep — quicker," said Rodgers. The supplement also is used by athletes as a recovery aid.
