The Big Interview: Paul Wood, former Warrington Wolves and England Rugby League

During his distinguished career with Warrington Wolves, Featherstone Rovers and England, Paul Woodmade over 350 appearances. He played a whopping 339 times for Warrington, and is a two-time Challenge Cup final winner with the Wolves in 2010 and 2012. He also helped lead the team to victory in the League Leaders Shield in 2011.

Even since his retirement from the game in 2018, Paul hasn’t slowed down, moving into the health and wellbeing field in his work with charity Rugby League Cares and the NHS.

Mammoth caught up with Paul as he placed an order for his new Mammoth Altitude Aura Luxe with The Sleep Haven in Warrington. We wanted to find out what it takes to be a winning rugby player and why sleep is critical to success.

With such a long-spanning career, Paul is all too aware that attitudes towards health and wellbeing are constantly shifting. In recent years, this change has been for the better, with more emphasis put on rest and recovery.

Paul says,

“I’ve always put a big focus on recovery from a performance standpoint, telling myself: ‘if you don’t get X hours of sleep, it’s going to affect your sprint times and increase your chance of injury’. But now, working in the wellbeing sector, I’m hearing more conversations about sleep and its importance on a cognitive level.

“You can regulate your emotions better when you’ve had sufficient sleep. The way you retain and process information is improved too. My perception on sleep has changed, but there was always a big focus on recovery in rugby. When you play a contact sport, you regularly put your body through what are essentially little car crashes. So, when you’re not playing, you’re in recovery mode.

“Whether you’re a sportsman or not, you feel the impact of a bad night’s sleep. It affects your performance and increases your chances of illness and more.”

Putting better sleep into practice

When it comes to his own sleep habits, Paul is committed to a strict rest schedule.

“I have always been a good sleeper. From an early age, I recognised that if I don’t get enough sleep, it will have a negative impact. Generally, I get seven and a half to eight hours of sleep per night.”

This isn’t something every sportsperson can say, particularly when it comes to late night matches. Winding down can be difficult after the adrenaline of a game, and this is something Paul himself is familiar with.

“Friday night matches would generally kick off at 8 o’clock. There’s a massive buzz and lots of adrenaline. Whether you win or lose, that’s hard to come down from. You might be ruminating over things you could have done better.

“After I finished playing, I coached at Leigh Centurions, and I started introducing players to breathing exercises and light meditation. Within the wellbeing sector, I see people complaining that they struggle sleeping. I ask them what they’re doing before bed, and a lot of them are on their phone, or watching TV, or at the gym until late. Putting boundaries in place at the end of the day can make a big difference.”

These better sleep habits are important both in the evening and in the morning, says Paul.

“Morning behaviours are important, too. I have a cold shower every single day before I do anything. In terms of winding down before bed, my go-to steps are breathing exercises and meditation. I also enjoy reading. Everyone has different strategies, but watching TV, keeping lights on, and drinking caffeine aren’t the answer.”

Rugby League Cares

Paul’s impressive work with both the NHS and Rugby League Cares puts health and wellbeing firmly in the spotlight, providing both one-to-one and group mentorship sessions. And, Paul says, sleep is at the heart of all the advice they give.

“We educate people about looking after themselves. A recent NHS report on burnout found that the number one reason people take time off in the NHS is for stress and anxiety. We go in and provide education around stress and coping, including managing your emotions and maintaining a positive mindset.

”We talk about sleep in every single session, because it’s the foundation of everything. If you lack sleep, you lack energy. And if you lack energy, you crave sugary foods. And if you don’t eat well, your energy crashes. This makes you feel sluggish, which means you don’t exercise. It’s a chain of poor health choices that all stem from bad sleep.”

Recovery is lifelong

Having spent so many hours on the pitch, it’s no surprise that Paul still suffers with the aftereffects of his injuries. In fact, for many players, injuries only fully present themselves further down the line. And sleep, Paul says, is the best weapon against pain.

“Sometimes injuries sneak up on you, even after you stop playing. I know lads who really hated the gym when they played rugby, but they go to the gym now because they know it’s good for their injuries. If you do nothing, it can be agony.

“I can’t lift my right arm above my head. I’ve had five operations on it. I’ve had a back operation, my knee done, both biceps done, the list is endless. I’ve had more than 15 operations in total, so managing injuries is a massive part of my life. Investing in this mattress is really going to help me.

“Sleep is a key part of my recovery. It’s the foundation of pain management. Nutrition and sleep are natural ways to manage pain.”

Finding a Sleep Haven

Paul visited The Sleep Haven showroom in Warrington to purchase his Mammoth. Having always preferred softer mattresses, he was both surprised and impressed by the comfort and support given by Mammoth mattresses across the entire range.

“In my experience, firmer mattresses require me to arch my back, but when I tested the Mammoth options, even the firmer mattresses moulded to my body.”

He found the “shiny and new” showroom a rewarding experience, recognising how important it is to find the perfect mattress for your needs.

“It was good to test every single option. I’m a bit geeky, and I love listening to how products are made and the reasons behind design choices. To be able to test each mattress changed my perspective on what a good mattress is. You get what you pay for at the end of the day. The investment is so worth it. We spend almost half of the day in bed, don’t we?”

We certainly do, and we wish Paul nothing but good nights’ sleep from now on.

Looking to improve your sleep quality? Start by getting the sleep surface right. Explore the Mammoth Perks range today here.