The value of a good night of sleep, proper nutrition and planning ahead for life after football hasn't escaped the reach of Texans reserve offensive lineman Karim Barton.
The 6-3, 313-pound native of Jamaica and former Morgan State standout started making rest a bigger priority when he was an undrafted rookie with the Philadelphia Eagles while playing for former coach Chip Kelly.
The Eagles closely monitored their players' sleep patterns, trying to identify which players were dealing with sleep deprivation and hoping to upgrade reaction time, mental alertness and muscle recovery. Barton wore a heart rate monitor and had his weight and hydration levels checked regularly.