Shohei Ohtani is known for valuing sleep almost as seriously as baseball itself.

People close to him have often said that most of his daily life revolves around two things: baseball and sleep.

Since childhood, Ohtani was someone who could fall asleep quickly and sleep for long periods. During his time at Hanamaki Higashi High School, manager Hiroshi Sasaki even placed Ohtani in the underclassmen dormitory so he could get better rest and avoid disturbances, knowing how important recovery was for his injury-prone body.

For many professional baseball players, life eventually becomes more night-oriented after entering the pro ranks.

But Ohtani’s priorities never really changed.

Even as a Major Leaguer, his life remained centered around games, training, recovery, and sleep — to the point where even 24 hours sometimes seemed insufficient.

During the 2021 season, when Ohtani won his first American League MVP award, he once again emphasized how important sleep was to him:

“The thing I value most is sleep. I’ve always tried to sleep a lot during the season, but this year especially, I’ve been sleeping even more.”

According to Ohtani, after a night game followed by a day game, he may only get six or seven hours of sleep. But when the next game is also at night, he tries to sleep ten to twelve hours.

For many modern people, insomnia itself becomes a source of stress.

But Ohtani approaches the issue differently.

Rather than becoming anxious about not being able to fall asleep, he believes there is still value simply in resting quietly with his eyes closed.

That mindset prevents additional stress from building up.

Instead of obsessing over perfect sleep, he focuses on recovery, relaxation, and accepting what he can control.

It is another example of Ohtani’s broader philosophy: avoid wasting energy on unnecessary anxiety, and focus instead on what helps you move forward.

Source

This quote comes from a Japanese book published in Japan and is not currently available in English.

Baseball Youth II: MLB Edition 2018–2024 Shohei Ohtani Long Interview, p.162