Manchester City and Norway striker Erling Haaland has attracted global attention not only for his performances on the football pitch but also for a wellness routine centred on one of the most fundamental aspects of human health: sleep. As interest grows in the footballer’s disciplined lifestyle, health experts say his emphasis on quality rest reflects a broader understanding of how sleep, alongside diet and exercise, plays a crucial role in preventing chronic inflammation associated with ageing.
Beyond his fashion choices, luxury accessories and light-hearted personality, the 26-year-old footballer has spoken publicly about the importance of achieving between nine and 10 hours of sleep each night.
“Sleep is the most important thing in the world,” Haaland has said, stressing that success depends not only on sleeping for long periods but on obtaining “good sleep”.
To improve sleep quality, Haaland wears blue-light-filtering glasses for three hours before bedtime to reduce light exposure that can suppress melatonin production, helping him fall asleep more easily. He has also experimented with mouth-taping to encourage nasal breathing while sleeping, although experts caution that the practice should be approached carefully by people with underlying respiratory conditions.
Medical specialists say Haaland’s focus on sleep aligns with scientific understanding of healthy ageing. While sleep is widely recognised as essential for physical recovery after exercise, consistent, high-quality rest also contributes to reducing chronic, low-grade inflammation, commonly referred to as “inflammaging”.
According to Melissa Lee, a naturopathic doctor at Integrated Medicine Institute in Hong Kong, inflammation itself is not inherently harmful. Acute inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury or infection, triggering immune signals that recruit white blood cells to repair damaged tissue. The familiar redness, warmth and swelling associated with a minor injury, such as a paper cut, result from increased blood flow and the movement of healing proteins into affected tissue.
Acute inflammation generally resolves within hours or days. In contrast, inflammaging combines the effects of inflammation and ageing, describing a persistent, low-grade inflammatory state that may continue for months or even years.
Dr Kong Tak-kwan, a specialist in geriatric medicine at Matilda International Hospital in Hong Kong, explained that inflammaging develops as the immune system gradually loses balance with age. The condition is characterised by elevated inflammatory proteins known as cytokines circulating in the bloodstream.
Scientists believe the process reflects the cumulative effects of a lifetime of exposure to infections, injuries and environmental pollutants, an accumulation often described as an individual’s “immune history” or “immunobiography”. Over time, these inflammatory molecules can damage tissues if the body is unable to maintain an effective balance through naturally occurring anti-inflammatory mechanisms.
According to Kong, healthy centenarians often demonstrate a stronger ability to regulate inflammation. However, when this balance is disrupted, chronic inflammation can contribute to diseases commonly associated with advancing age.
Health professionals also warn that conditions linked to inflammaging are increasingly appearing in younger adults. Dr Ho See-yunn, a family medicine and anti-ageing practitioner at Restore Integrative Medical Clinic in Hong Kong, attributed this trend largely to modern lifestyles and growing exposure to environmental toxins, including heavy metals and microplastics.
Persistent fatigue, headaches, frequent infections, slow wound healing, digestive disorders, joint stiffness and inflammatory skin conditions such as psoriasis may all serve as warning signs of chronic inflammation. Lee added that laboratory tests can sometimes reveal elevated markers associated with inflammation, including C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, homocysteine, plasma viscosity, interleukin-6, as well as markers linked to autoimmune and metabolic diseases such as blood glucose.
Although chronic inflammation develops through a range of contributing factors, specialists agree that lifestyle remains one of the most significant influences. They emphasise that reducing the risk of inflammaging does not require the training regimen of an elite athlete.
Regular cardiovascular and resistance exercise forms a cornerstone of healthy ageing, according to Kong, helping to reduce systemic inflammation while supporting overall physical function. Nutrition also plays a central role, with anti-inflammatory dietary patterns, including Mediterranean-style foods such as colourful fruits, being highlighted as supportive of long-term health.
Experts say that maintaining consistent, restorative sleep, engaging in regular physical activity and adopting healthy dietary habits together provide some of the most effective strategies for limiting chronic inflammation throughout life.
Haaland’s carefully managed sleep routine has therefore become more than a personal performance strategy. It reflects a growing scientific consensus that quality rest is an essential component of long-term health, with benefits extending beyond athletic recovery to the preservation of immune function and healthy ageing.
